Students best learn something new through experience, so the Michigan Supreme Court deserves great kudos for bringing its operations to northern Michigan for kids to see firsthand.

The Michigan Supreme Court recently brought oral arguments in one of its cases to the Cheboygan Opera House in Cheboygan. The court invited students from 16 schools in six different counties — including Onaway High School, Presque Isle Academy, and Rogers City High School — to watch the proceedings, News staff writer Temi Fadayomi reported in a recent story.

“What we want them to take away is an understanding of how a court case works its way through the system in Michigan, and an interest in public service,” Chief Justice Elizabeth Clement said.

Leading up to the program, students were given a handbook that summarized the legal process and went over the definitions of some key legal terms.

“I was surprised at how easy it was to follow,” Onaway senior Aubrey Benson told Fadayomi. “I thought it was a very amazing experience.”

“The students had never done anything like this,” Rogers City High School social studies teacher Matt Barsen said. “We learned a lot.”

What an amazing opportunity for the students to see the pinnacle of Michigan’s criminal justice system at work.

We’d like to see more operations like that from other branches of government. The Legislature should hold some committee meetings remotely and invite students to attend hearings on bills. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer should hold a cabinet meeting at a high school for students to see her in action.

We’d like to see students get involved in local government, too. It would be neat to see a local government board hold a special meeting in a high school during school hours so students could see local government at work.

For the time being, we say thanks to the Michigan Supreme Court for visiting northern Michigan, and kudos to them for an amazing program that gives kids a firsthand look at government in action.

— The Alpena News