ERLANGER - Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson smiled as he watched the debate rage on the Senate floor.
"If 16-year olds can drive and they pay taxes, then they should be able to vote," argued fifth-grader Dominic Joseph.
"But most 16-year olds don't know anything about politics, and they'll just vote for whoever their parents tell them to vote for," countered classmate Nathan Lesniak.
"Well then maybe they should learn more about politics," interjected Blake Howard, effectively putting an end to the conversation.
The argument, which actually took place in Dorothy Durham's classroom at Arnett Elementary, was part of the students' lesson on government and governmental proceedings. To wrap up the lesson, the students held a mock debate in front of Grayson and Kentucky Senator Jack Westwood.
"The kids have worked real hard, and this is a good way for them to get some lessons from people who do this stuff every day," said Durham.
After debating two proposed bills, the students were able to ask questions of Grayson and Westwood, including details about their jobs. The two talked about everything from procedures on the Senate Floor when introducing a bill to their daily schedules to interacting with their constituents.
"You guys nailed the process of proposing a bill, except you may have been a little more under control than us," said Westwood with a grin as he talked to the kids. "But I'm very impressed with the work you put into this."
Both also talked about their experiences traveling across the state, as well as meeting President George W. Bush.
"He meets so many people, so he gives them nicknames to help remember," explained Grayson with a smile. "So now, I've met him twice, and he just calls me 'Big Guy', since I'm so tall. I'm not even sure he remembers my real name, but he does know the nickname."
After the question-and-answer session, Grayson and Westwood mingled with the kids for a few minutes, enjoyed refreshments, and even signed a few autographs.
"This type of thing is always fun for us, to come and see what the kids are learning," said Westwood. "We really enjoyed it."