WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LEGISLATIVE EFFORT AND LEGISLATIVE FIELD TRIP?
NM MESA is a nonprofit program that currently receives a majority of their funding from our State Legislature. It is critical to our organization that our legislators and supporters of MESA continue to be made aware of all the positive happenings within our program. Legislator contact is vital for our continued support.
Our annual field trip, MESA Day at the Legislature (February 14, 2018), is your opportunity to observe the legislative process and your state government in action. A learning experience for all of us, it is also an excellent opportunity for NM MESA to showcase it’s program. Each year different regions are invited to attend. Current regions attending are the Southwest and Southeast Regions. Attendees will act as ambassadors for NM MESA and may testify before members of the legislature. Therefore, all students interested in attending should come prepared to act as a liaison for NM MESA and should be of the highest caliber. Legislative activities will help NM MESA continue its mission of preparing middle and high school students for college majors and careers in mathematics, engineering and science.
LETTERS OF SUPPORT
This is required for each student attending the trip and is HIGHLY suggested for every member of the NM MESA program. Because of the date of our trip, all letters need to be completed and submitted either PRIOR to our fieldtrip as our date is at the beginning of the Legislative Session or shortly after before final decisions are made on legislation. Each student is to collect a minimum of 5 letters of support for NM MESA to be delivered/sent to various legislators.
When writing your letters:
- Find my Legislator-NM State Legislature Website, Click HERE
- NM State Legislature Website and Legislation Finder, Click HERE
- Sample Letter of support and Extension Activity Guidelines and Information, HERE
- Current 2018 Legislation includes: Will be Posted Here as It Becomes Available
FIELDTRIP SELECTION REQUIREMENTS
- Only the Southwest and Southeast Inner Regions have been designated to attend.
- Transportation will be determined regionally and arranged by your Regional Coordinator.
- Unused slots may be reallocated to other regions.
- Students selected must have a current profile in the database and have their A-1 submitted prior to application.
- Selection will be done by the Regional Coordinator.
- ONLY selected attendees are to attend the Legislative Field trip.
- A Regional waitlist will be created as needed.
REGISTRATION PROCESS
- If interested in attending, you must contact your Regional Coordinator, as they will be selecting the delegates from their Region.
- On Line Registration will collect all teacher and student information. So please have all information needed to complete registration including student names, etc.
- If any of your students are requesting to be pages, a brief document must be uploaded for each student. This document must contain a statement of interest and biography. Biography must contain the students name, grade, and school (in the document) and document MUST be saved in a Microsoft or PDF format with the student name as the document name. Please proofread, as this will be forwarded to the sponsoring legislator. Pages will be selected and assigned as able. Not all students may be able to be selected.
- Registration will need to be completed by (1) primary advisor per school program creating (1) registration per school program. NOTE: When you receive your confirmation, it will show you as (1) school in party.
- Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email and number, which will allow you to modify or cancel your registration. Modifying includes adding/removing/changing students or advisors and any other changes to your registration.
- The last day to modify a registration is the same day as the registration deadline, but you are only allowed to bring the number of students you have been approved to bring.
- After the modification deadline, students will need to be replaced internally with another MESA student. It is critical that all spots are filled. Failure to fill your given spots will result in you not being selected for future trips.
- The registration deadline is January 22, 2018 at 5pm.
DRESS CODE
Students are required to abide by the legislative field trip dress code. All attendees are required to dress-up for the legislative session in “professional” dress. This means dress pants for men, and dress pants or long skirts/dresses for women. Appropriate dress can include khakis, uniform style pants, and/or polo shirts. NO short skirts or dresses, jeans, or sloppy wear. All attendees are to wear appropriate footwear. Please dress appropriately. If you are not sure about the dress code, call your Regional Coordinator.
PAGES/SPECIAL GUESTS
Select NM MESA students will get the opportunity to serve as pages or special guests. If interested:
- Students must submit a document containing the following with application:
- Student biography-containing student’s name, grade, and school in document
- Statement of interest-why you want to page and why you should be selected to page
- Up to five (5) students per region will be selected.
- Students who are selected will be personally notified (please have accurate contact information updated in MIMS). It is of special importance that selected students dress appropriately.
- If student has a preferred legislator, please have them note in biography.
- NO SUBSTITUTES for pages or special guests will be allowed.
