I was so moved by reading "My Adventure in Miami with President Bush" -- the recent essay written by Andrew, FR's own 15 year-old writer who posts as "walrus954" -- that I was inspired to turn over my space here to another talented young writer.
Consequently, Andrew, and everyone else, please say hello to: Autumn Siegel, a FL homeschooler who recently interviewed Gov. Bush.
I hope you all enjoy this interview, below. (I know I did!)
Sincerely,
summer :) -- a former Dem, now an independent and a FL certified teacher
FL homeschool student and budding journalist, Autumn Siegel, left, along
with a FL newspaper staff member, at a journalism conference --
as explained HERE.
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Monday, May 20, 2002
St. Petersburg Times
An online interview with Governor Bush
By Autumn Siegel
As a homeschooled student enrolled in the Florida Virtual School, the online high school that has served students across the state for the past four years, I got the chance to interview Gov. Jeb Bush online for the Virtual School's newspaper, News in a Click. (Darn it, no photo op when you interview by computer!)
We talked about lots of issues that affect young people in Florida, from education to teenage smoking to politics. Here is an edited version of our conversation:
AUTUMN: Growing up in a political family, when did you decide that this would be the area that you would go into? What other fields had you considered?
GOV. BUSH: I first got involved in politics to help my dad, whom I truly love. I overcame my fears of speaking in public and began to understand the joys of service by watching my dad in his public service. In 1993 I decided to make the leap. I had been in the private sector until then.
AUTUMN: Has it been difficult to maintain your own identity instead of just being one of "the Bush boys?"
GOV. BUSH: I stopped worrying about what people think a while back and now focus on how I can serve and help others.
AUTUMN: Integrity is an important quality for all of humanity, but especially those who have achieved celebrity status as political figures. What suggestions do you have for the next generation of voters who are exposed to negative campaigning and apparent lack of morality on the part of some elected officials?
GOV. BUSH: Say what you are going to do and do what you said you would do. Don't veer from principle. Be honest with yourself. Show humility. Fight hard but fight fair.
AUTUMN: What do you think of such government-based shows as NBC's The West Wing? Do you feel that these give an accurate portrayal of political life?
GOV. BUSH: I don't watch The West Wing.
AUTUMN: The SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco) program, which was founded under the Chiles administration, received a considerable budget cut in October, with a large portion of that money being redistributed to enhance road development. Do you think that it will be important to restore the funds for this program?
GOV. BUSH: The tobacco program is doing fine. We are spending $39-million. That was what was being spent last year. That is a lot of dough!
AUTUMN: If funding is not able to be replaced, what are some of the initiatives that can be taken to continue efforts to decrease youth smoking?
GOV. BUSH: Teen smoking is down in our state, which is a good thing.
AUTUMN: There has been a considerable amount of media coverage on the recent cell-phone controversy facing school districts across America. Some believe that students should be allowed to keep these devices on campus as long as they are not turned on; others protest that the phones are too much of a distraction. Where do you stand and why?
GOV. BUSH: I have not followed the issue, but now I will!
AUTUMN: Due to increased security after Sept. 11, do you think that there has been a decrease in youth involvement in the government, such as the TeenPact program for Christian homeschoolers, or the Senate page program?
GOV. BUSH: I have not noticed a decline in youth involvement. In fact, I think there has been more civic involvement than before that I hope can be sustained.
AUTUMN: Why do you think it is important to support the Florida Virtual School?
GOV. BUSH: It has the potential of helping to redefine education. It is student-centered and can be used in so many ways . . . remediation, honors-AP (advanced placement) classes for students who can't access them, etc.
AUTUMN: Do you think online learning would have been beneficial when you were growing up, or perhaps would have benefited your children?
GOV. BUSH: Gosh, I am so old I can remember black-and-white televisions! Online learning would have been very useful to me.
AUTUMN: Do you think the Virtual School will be able to issue diplomas to its students in the near future?
GOV. BUSH: I hope so.
AUTUMN: Many critics argue that Florida Virtual School is not an effective educational medium because of the lack of interaction among students and faculty. However, AP scores among Virtual School students exceed the national average by nearly 9 percent. What is your comment about this apparent contradiction?
GOV. BUSH: The Virtual School is not for everyone. But it is a good means to accelerate learning for kids who don't need as much attention.
AUTUMN: I am sure that you are aware of the teacher shortage facing Florida. What would you say to high schoolers or college students to encourage them to pursue a career in education?
GOV. BUSH: The laws of supply and demand apply to the teaching profession. There will be great opportunities in teaching in the next decade. Teaching is a very noble profession.
AUTUMN: What factors influenced your decision to attend the college that you did?
