FAIRBURY, Neb. - Local government is an integral aspect of everyone’s lives, especially in small communities like Southeast Nebraska, so instead of bringing the government to a school for something like a show and tell, this Friday Jefferson County brought local students to the government. 

Nearly 150 junior students from four area schools – Fairbury, Meridian, Tri County and Diller-Odell – spent Friday morning meeting many of their local government employees at the 2024 Jefferson County Government Day in Fairbury.  

Organized by the county commissioners in conjunction with school officials, this year’s Government Day featured a slightly different format than in years past. Now, students spent the morning in the Jefferson County Courthouse in downtown Fairbury, cycling through ten total stations where they got a firsthand look at how local government operates.  

“They wanted to get students out to see that local government is probably the most impactful piece on their day-to-day lives,” said Curt Thomas, the principal of Fairbury Junior/Senior High School. “They really want kids to see how local government impacts what they do on a day-to-day basis rather than just state and federal.” 

From elected officials to appointed or hired employees, these local students got to see where these professionals operate on a day-to-day basis, and some of the tools of the trade they employ to get those jobs done.  

“I’m just kind of mind blown about being in the courthouse,” said Meridian junior Kyan Sones. “The only time I’ve ever been here is to get license plates and to get my driver’s license. I’ve never been up in the courtroom, or down in the veteran’s services office... There’s a lot more going on here than I ever imagined there was.”  

Many students – and perhaps many adults as well – have no reason to know who many of these dedicated workers are or the purposes they serve, but especially in a small-town setting, local government is an integral part of everyone’s lives.  

And a day like this is the first step towards being more informed about and more appreciative of the work local government officials do, and, for some of these students perhaps, a step towards a future career in one of these professions themselves.