Hungary Creek

Empowering Student Advocacy:
 Navigating the Bill-to-Law Process at Hungary Creek Middle School 

Henrico Learner Profile (HLP) 6C Focus

6th Grade - CE

SOL/Standard - CE.6c The student will apply social science skills to understand the American constitutional government at the national level by

c)  explaining and/or simulating the lawmaking process

Learning Experience

In this learning experience, Hungary Creek Middle School 6th graders engaged in the bill-to-law process by identifying and addressing issues within their school community. Through collaborative research and discussion, students drafted bills aimed at positive change, navigated committee hearings, debates, and close votes. Finally, they presented their passed bills to the principal, practicing public speaking skills and advocating for their ideas. Throughout, students reflected on their growth as critical thinkers and active citizens, deepened their understanding of government and their capacity to effect real change. This hands-on approach fostered a sense of empowerment and civic responsibility, preparing students to engage meaningfully in their communities beyond the classroom. 

What did the student(s) learn about this experience:

“I really liked this project because it was a good way to learn about the bill to law process as we were able to practice the real steps a bill goes through while also getting the opportunity to change things at school. My group made a bill about how we wanted to have free seating at lunch and it was very fun to work together to research and plan out the best way to make that happen. Other classmates had really cool ideas too like adding a water fountain that has a water bottle filler. This was a very fun project and I really enjoyed it.” -Kaitlyn B.

“The Bill to Law project is an interactive and fun project. It lets students have a say in different things that take place in school and gets the students opinion on what needs to be added or changed in school. This project demonstrates how a bill becomes a law in a way that students like myself enjoy. The way this project works is one class will be the House of Representatives and one class will be the Senate. If the bill makes it through both classes then the bill will be sent to the president or principal. This project allows students to make a change in their school in a fun and engaging way.”  -Yeardley H.

"I became better at collaboration with peers. I learned to think more efficiently and less based on bias. I used a lot of communication skills during this." - Campbell S.

"Usually, I prefer to work alone on projects, but being able to work in committees helped me to work more with my classmates. I don't really like public speaking, but this helped me to calm down and get more comfortable with speaking in public." - Sophia R.

What did the teacher enjoy about this experience:

"I couldn't be prouder of the remarkable dedication and ingenuity displayed by our 6th graders at HCMS. Witnessing their engagement in the democratic process, from the initial identification of issues to the final presentation of their bills, has been truly inspiring. Their collaborative spirit, critical thinking skills, and commitment to positive change have exceeded all expectations." - Amanda Marsh

"Students became passionate about the lawmaking process. With each step, they learned how difficult it is for an idea to become a law. Their investment in the project resulted in a feeling of empowerment from creating change at our school. I am confident that the lessons learned through this experience will resonate with them far beyond the classroom, empowering them to continue making a difference in their communities and beyond." - Ellen Jewell

Additional Pictures, Media & Artifacts

Students researched and wrote bills for changes they wanted to see at HCMS.

Students presented the final draft of their bills to their house's floor.

Students worked in committee to debate and discuss the presented bills.

Students used a pro/con decision making model in order to determine how they would vote.

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Bills are discussed

Bills were reviewed and discussed.

Step 3: Discussing a bill in committee 2.MOV

In Committee

Students read each bill and noted its strengths and weaknesses.

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Determining pros/cons

Students worked to find pros and cons of the bills.

Step 3: Voting on a bill in committee.MOV

Voting

student committee voted for the strongest bills

Students utilized a Pro/Con decision making model to debate bills on the Senate and House Floors.

For whole house votes, students voted on bills using a digital voting system

Bills that passed both houses of Congress were presented to President (Principal) Terrier in a joint session of Congress.

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Students read their bills aloud.

The Bills that became LAWS!

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S 104 - To install water bottle fillers at water fountains in the school.

HR 304 - To open a "snack only" line in the school cafeteria.

Joint Resolution 

S 105 & HR 804- To implement free seating at lunch.

S 102 - To implement recess time at HCMS.

HR 701 - To fix and upkeep the maxi pad dispensers in the girls bathrooms.

Final Proposed Bills

Bills sent to the "President"

Out of forty-one bills, six made it to President (Principal) Terrier to be approved. She signed five of the six bills and they will be implemented at Hungary Creek soon.

Thank you to the innovators who helped make this experience possible: