Youth in Government Day is today in Cape County

Area high school students will get a first-hand look at local government today as part of the 18th annual Optimist Youth in Government Day.

They will tag along with elected officials and department heads and even hold mock council and county commission meetings. Some students also will shadow federal employees including an assistant U.S. attorney, district clerk, magistrate judge, deputy marshal and federal probation officer.

About 70 students from Cape Girardeau Central, Notre Dame Regional, Jackson, Delta and Oak Ridge high schools are scheduled to participate in the event, which begins at 8 a.m. at participating government offices.

It will conclude with a noon luncheon in Jackson at the Knights of Columbus Hall. U.S. Sen. Jim Talent will speak at the luncheon.

The morning events include a staged house fire at 411 Second St. in Cape Girardeau at 9:30 a.m. that will include participation by students paired up with fire department officials.

"The students do come away with quite an eye-opener about local government," said Tom M. Meyer, who helps coordinate the event for the local Optimists.

Mike Ruppel, the co-coordinator, said the event helps students appreciate the decisions that government officials and staff have to make. "We always say we are not trying to turn them into politicians, we just want them to become responsible citizens," he said.