LOGAN — Some Logan-Hocking Middle School students received a special government lesson on Thursday from Congressman Steve Stivers (R) representing the 15th District of Ohio.

“We are happy to have him speaking to our students about the legislative process,” said Chad Grow, assistant principal at LHMS.

Stivers divided the students into two groups representing the Senate and the House of Representatives. Through a game, he demonstrated and explained how a house bill becomes a law.

The game was focused on passing a bill named – House Bill 1, which was “Good Nutrition in School Food.”

At the end of the game, the bill passed and students had a chance to ask Stivers questions.

One student asked, “Why do you like your job?”

“I like my job because I can make a difference for people,” Stivers said. “I can tell you being in Washington is pretty frustrating for the reasons you learned in the game and it can be hard to get stuff done.

“We didn’t’ make the game as robust as we could have. In Washington I can make a difference for people and I feel good about that.”

Another student asked Stivers why there were two main parties in politics.

“Our Founding Fathers set up two main parties and they were called the Federalist and the Wigs,” he said.

Stivers explained the Republican Party was formed approximately 1860 and President Abraham Lincoln served as the party’s first president and the Republicans took over from the Wig Party.

The Democrats took over from the fall of the Federalist Party and Thomas Jefferson was their first president.

Another question asked of the congressmen was, why he decided to be a Republican?

“It is the party that fit best for me. Be a Republican or Democrat because that is what you believe, nobody fits perfectly in a party, but choose which one fits you the best,” added Stivers.

“What I would tell all of you is not to pick a political side based on what your parents’ beliefs are. Rather look at both political parties and decide which party supports what you believe in,” he continued.

Several students asked Stivers questions about President Barack Obama, wanting to know if he had met him and if he liked the president.

“Yes, I have met the president, he is quite tall and seemed like a really nice fella,” responded Stivers.

At the end of the question and answer session students asked for the congressman’s autograph and he fulfilled the request for each student.

“We are glad our students had the opportunity to meet with the representative to gain a better understanding on how our political system works,” said Ms. Stivelt, teacher at LHMS.

Once Stivers finished at the LHMS, he met with county and city public officials for a roundtable discussion on various topics such as gas prices, commuting workers, and things impacting this area.

Sandy Ogle, Hocking County Commissioner had Stephen Kibble with her as a guest at lunch. Kibble was shadowing her for his communications and leadership class at Logan High School, where he is a junior.

“We were asked to shadow someone we thought was a good leader,” Kibble said.

Stivers discussed different trades, opportunities and interests with Kibble.

The congressman noted his next stop was New Lexington, with the final stop of the day in Columbus at the Governor’s Art Show held at the Columbus Museum of Art.