Republished with permission from Wyoming News Now, a TV news outlet covering the Cheyenne and Casper areas.
The Civics Lab is now open in the Capitol extension building, an interactive exhibit teaching kids about the first five articles of the Wyoming Constitution.
"Education underlies everything we do in a democratic society, everything comes down to self-governance, and we need a people who are informed, enlightened citizens," said Andy Pannell, civic education program manager at the University of Wyoming.
Developed through partnership with the Wyoming Department of Education, the lab is an interactive, hands-on, civic-learning experience.
Students can complete challenges, stamp their Civics Passports and learn about the democratic process.
Pannell said one thing that's special about Wyoming is the support for civic education.
"I think the Civics Lab does a wonderful job of trying to impart what's important about government and about what you ought to know if you're going to be an enlightened citizen," said Pannell.
The lab also explains the three branches of government, with one of the exhibits highlighting previous members of the Legislature.
Diana Enzi, wife of the late Wyoming U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, was at the ribbon cutting earlier this month to celebrate.
"How excited I am for Mike to be in this, that's very nice. He would tell you he learned how to legislate here. And he made close friendships with a lot of the people that were here, and those extended all the way through our lives," said Enzi.
The Civics Lab is part of a multi-year collaborative project to bring more interpretive exhibits into the Capitol Square.
