Advanced Placement Government students from high schools across the district braved bone chilling weather and came to school on Monday despite there being no classes in observance of Martin Luther King Day.

For them the last day of the first semester presented an opportunity to meet with Iowa Congressman David Young in the library at Roosevelt High School, and a good many seized it.

Besides teaching the course at Roosevelt, Amber Graeber is the district’s AP Coordinator and she arranged for Rep. Young’s visit. It was originally planned for an earlier date when school would have been in session but had to be rescheduled when a conflict arose in Washington.

There must have been something in it for the students, right? Extra credit, a last chance to boost their first semester grade, SOMETHING?

“No, nothing except some pizza if they’re hungry,” said Graeber. “They just really appreciate the opportunity to meet directly with their congressman and ask him some questions.”

They took full advantage, peppering Rep. Young on topics including the role of money in politics, restoration of voting rights for felons, rising costs of college, congressional partisanship, presidential rhetoric and behavior, rural vs. urban sensibilities and, finally, immigration reform.

For Young it was just another day on the job, if not necessarily at the office. In describing his routines to the students, he said he visits all 16 of the counties that comprise Iowa’s third congressional district every month.

For the constituents he met with it was above and beyond the call of their duties as students. But many of them are becoming citizens in full as seniors in high school and will be eligible to vote in November when Young’s name will be on the ballot seeking a third term in Congress. It was mostly in that latter role that they attended.

“It’s important for people with different backgrounds and perspectives to listen to one another,” said Graeber when she introduced Young, who grew up in Van Meter, Iowa before moving to Johnston during high school and eventually graduating from Drake University.

“When I got interested in politics I moved to Washington and knocked on a lot of doors,” Young said. “Finally, I got a congressional internship that eventually led to becoming the Chief of Staff for Iowa Senator Charles Grassley.”

And then to his own seat in Congress and an invitation to meet with AP Government students in a high school library.

The turnout and the topics of discussion would surely have pleased Dr. King. Especially the part about hundreds of thousands of Dreamers.

Photos of Congressman David Young at Roosevelt