October 19, 2009
For Immediate Release

Rep. Fred Steen Will Speak to RCCC Class

             SALISBURY, N.C. — As part of the "American Legislators Back to School" program, N.C. Rep. Fred Steen (R) will speak to GED students at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.

             Rep. Steen, Rowan, the deputy Republican whip, will talk to students about the North Carolina General Assembly, specially the N.C. House of Representatives, at 11 a.m., on Oct. 21.

             The interactive class session will meet in Building 100, room 108, at RCCC's North Campus, in Salisbury.
Each year, state legislators from across the country visit classrooms and bring civics to life in the America's Legislators Back to School program. As the program approaches its 10th year, a new study indicates legislators who visit classrooms improve students' knowledge and appreciation of American democracy. 

             The study commissioned by the National Conference of State Legislatures and conducted by Turcotte Public Administration Consulting and Training, LLC examined the impact of the America's Legislators Back to School program on participating students' understanding and appreciation of representative democracy. Evaluators tested middle school students in Louisiana (Fall 2006) and Wyoming (Spring 2008).

              In both states, students who participated in the America's Legislators Back to School program scored significantly higher than students who did not have a classroom visit on concepts such as appreciation of the right of every citizen to be heard by his or her representatives; the procedures a state legislature uses to resolve differences about public policy including debate, negotiation, and compromise; and representative democracy is a system in which individuals vote to elect representatives to an assembly that represents the people in deciding issues.

             Rep Steen's visit to RCCC is being coordinated by Beth Bowman, a basic skills instructor at the college. For more information about RCCC's GED program, contact Gary Connor at 704-216-3510 or 704-216-3723, or by e-mail to connorg@rowancabarrus.edu.

               RCCC is a comprehensive, community-based institution of higher learning, serving the citizens of Rowan and Cabarrus counties in North Carolina. RCCC is one of 58 colleges in the state-supported North Carolina Community College System.

                RCCC offers fully-accredited associate-degree programs in more than 40 areas of study, including arts and sciences, business, information technology, health and public services, and engineering technologies. RCCC also offers accredited diploma and certificate programs focused on career training, continuing education and basic skills education. RCCC provides a strong foundation and transferable credits for students moving on to four-year colleges and universities and helps adults get the additional training they need to start new careers.

               RCCC annually provides more than 2,000 course offerings, serving an overall enrollment of approximately 20,000 students. In addition, RCCC provides the education and job-training programs needed to meet many of the workforce demands of the North Carolina Research Campus being developed in Kannapolis. For complete details, see the RCCC website at www.rowancabarrus.edu.