In less than a week, more than 80 Nebraska high school students from across the State, will travel to the State Capitol for the 15th Nebraska Capitol Forum on America’s Future.

The event is sponsored by Humanities Nebraska and Secretary of State John Gale.  Capitol Forum is designed to engage high school students in a discussion about our nation’s future in a changing international environment.  This year, 21 teachers and their students are taking part.

The day will begin with a greeting from Governor Dave Heineman and Secretary Gale.  During the morning, students will meet in break-out sessions in which they will discuss U.S. foreign policy topics including: terrorism, immigration, global environment, trade and nuclear proliferation.  The afternoon session will feature student presentations related to the future of  U.S. foreign policy.

“Capitol Forum has been an incredibly successful program that has reached over 20,000 Nebraska high school students.  The students study, debate and absorb the breadth of American foreign policy.  With the globalized world we live in, that is extremely important for this generation,” said Gale.

As part of the program students also create posters, which will be on display in the Rotunda, depicting their various viewpoints.

The day will culminate in a question-and-answer period in the Warner Chamber involving U.S. Senator Mike Johanns and U.S. Representatives Jeff Fortenberry and Lee Terry.

Upon completion of the one-day event, teachers and their students return home an share their experiences with their classmates, broadening the impact of Capitol Forum to more than 1,500 students statewide.  Those classes will complete a ballot describing their view of America’s future role in the world.  The results will be compiled and distributed to elected officials, Nebraska schools and news media.

North Platte High School teacher Dennis Fornander will be one of the Lead Teachers for the event.