Blumenauer Speaks to Eighth Graders at Beverly Cleary School

Congressman Blumenauer emphasized the importance of community advocacy from a young age to sixty eighth grade students at Beverly Cleary School: Fernwood Campus on Tuesday. The students have spent the fall studying the election, the Constitution, and the branches of federal government, as well as urban infrastructure in Portland. Congressman Blumenauer used the recovery effort from Hurricane Sandy as an example of federalism—the importance of coordination of the federal government with state efforts to clean up their own territory or send resources across the country. The students brainstormed policy ideas for their research projects with the Congressman.

"You are in a sweet spot for civic education," Blumenauer told the students, referring to strong programs focusing on governance and community advocacy in the Portland Public Schools. "You have a lot of good ideas for local and federal policy. Hopefully by the time you're making that policy, the political climate will be less-focused on partisan labels and more focused on good governance."