A decades-old tradition brings the governor right here to Northern Michigan for the 39th Annual Governor’s Breakfast.
Governor Rick Snyder is meeting with hundreds of students in Cadillac this morning for the annual Governor’s Breakfast to discuss education and job opportunities in the state.
The breakfast brings students from across the region together for a sit-down with Governor Rick Snyder.
“It’s great history here. Four governors have participated since 1976,” said Bill Tencza, President of the Cadillac Area Chamber of Commerce.
Every year since then, the governor of Michigan has come to Cadillac to have breakfast with hundreds of high schoolers –a chosen handful of whom get the chance to ask him a question.
This year’s theme is “Continuing Education.”
Mary Swope, a senior at Cooley High School says, “I’m going to ask, ‘How can our state restructure so that students can do career technical program for two years? And those who want can do for four years and possibly graduate with an Associate’s?’”
Mary Swope became a certified nursing assistant through Wexford-Missaukee Career Tech Center and says future students could benefit from being able to earn Associate degrees earlier.
Dirk Smith, a senior at Mesick High School says he plans to ask, “’How can we get high school students to pursue school after high school?’ Because living in a small community, it seems like it’s a rare few that go to college and go to trade school.”
There will be about 400 students and job providers from Wexford, Missaukee and Osceola counties.
“It’s great for kids to interview a governor,” says Tencza. “They would never have had that opportunity without this partnership. Kids that are helping in the kitchen, kids that are helping with set-up.”
A collaboration between the community, business and education that helps students get in touch with someone like the governor.
A tradition Bill Tencza says really stands the test of time.
“I’ve dealt with three governors,” Tencza says. “And when they’re in their second term, they become very discriminating on what they do and can do because they can’t do everything. This event has held its weight.”
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