Nethercutt visit promotes citizenship contest

MOSES LAKE - One of the fourth graders at Lakeview Terrace Elementary asked former U.S. Representative George Nethercutt if it was true what he heard, that the government was shut down for a while. Nethercutt confirmed the government was shut down for a few days, that it had happened before, and that it happened because the Congress and President Barack Obama couldn't agree how to spend the government's money.

The fourth and fifth graders listening to Nethercutt wanted to know how much money the two sides were arguing about. They guessed it was a whole lot of money, like a million dollars.

It was even more money than that, Nethercutt told them. The federal budget is $3 trillion dollars.

The kids greeted that with oohs and aahs. "That's like all the money in the world," according to one of the fourth graders.

Nethercutt was in town to talk to the fourth grade about civic education and knowing their country's history, its laws and government. He's started a contest for fourth graders, among other grades, to promote historical knowledge and civic activity. Along the way he answered some of the questions the fourth graders had written down and assembled in a notebook.

To the fourth grader who asked why people had to pay taxes, Nethercutt said everybody had to pitch in to pay for things everybody uses, like roads. To the kid who asked if he liked Beverly Cleary's books, Nethercutt had to admit he hadn't read them in a long time.

He was asked what he wanted to be when he was a kid, and Nethercutt said his goal was to be a lawyer, like his dad. He ran for Congress, he said, because he didn't agree with the incumbent Tom Foley. Nethercutt said his career in Congress proved that anyone, from any walk of life, could reach their goals. "But you have to work at it," he said.

There are things kids can do in their community, to improve their town and to learn about their country, Nethercutt said. It can be almost anything, from picking up garbage around school or going to a city council meeting to writing their congressman. Kids could write their congressman to ask for more free time at school, he said.

"Really?" the kids said. Nethercutt had to make a little bit of a correction - just because they asked didn't mean their principal would have to do it.

Nethercutt was at Lakeview Terrace to promote a contest sponsored by his non-profit foundation, the Citizenship Tournament. It's open to all fourth and eighth graders and high school seniors, he said, and includes both a written test and completion of five "citizenship tasks."

This is the first year for the contest, which Nethercutt started because young people don't know as much about their country and its history as they should, he said. It's open to students from throughout Eastern Washington; one winner will be selected from each grade, and prizes will be awarded to all participants who finish the citizenship tasks, he said. Kids have the chance at a trip to Washington D.C., he said, among other possibilities. Kids can be accompanied by a parent, he said, but, he said in answer to a fourth grader's question, the winners can't bring a buddy.

Children must enter by Feb. 1, and must have their citizenship tasks completed by March 1. The winners will be announced in April. People who want more information can visit the tournament's website, www.nethercuttfoundation.org.