BGEC's CEA students attend the state of M-Dade County address

Students from Bob Graham Education Center's Civic Engagement Academy (CEA) participated in the Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez’s State of the County address on January 31 held at the Port of Miami.
The students were the only school that was invited to serve as greeters and ushers at this event as well as to assist the Gimenez’s staff. The CEA is a program in middle school dedicated to educating and exposing students to government, civics and law studies. Throughout their time in the CEA, students are afforded an opportunity to meet with many leaders at the federal, state and local levels and they have travelled to Washington, D.C., Tallahassee and throughout Miami-Dade County to meet with elected and appointed officials.
At the State of the County address, the students had the chance to speak to several leaders including Gimenez, various county commissioners including their district commissioner Esteban Bovo Jr., municipal mayors and councilmembers and even with U.S. Congresswoman Donna Shalala who spoke to the students about her experiences as the president of the University of Miami, serving as a cabinet-level secretary for a U.S. president and her current role as a member of the U.S. Congress.
After the State of the County address, the students were invited to tour the Port of Miami.