Surname: Bichanich, Kreitlow

----Source: The Tribune Phonograph (Abbotsford, Clark Co., WI), Vol. 48, No. 10, Wed., March 5, 2008, p. 27

Bichanich Selected for Senate Scholar Program

Abbotsford High School senior Jillian Bichanich was selected to participate in the 2008 Wisconsin State Senate Scholar Program held February 17-22.

The Senate Scholar Program is an intensive week-long educational program offered by the Wisconsin State Senate. Admission to the program is highly competitive and is limited to 33 students from around the sate of Wisconsin.

Each Senate Scholar student received a hand-on up close view of the Legislature’s role in the state’s democracy. She was nominated and selected through Senator Pat Kreitlow of Eau Claire.

"I was proud to recommend Jullian for the Senate Scholar program," Kreitlow said. "Jillian’s academic and co-curricular experiences have made her the perfect candidate for this enriching activity, and am honored to have her experience a week in the life of the Legislature."

The program’s rigorous curriculum is two-fold. First, students are introduced to many facets of the legislative process. They meet with legislative support agencies, legislative aides, the Governor’s staff, a Supreme Court Justice, the media, lobbyist and political observers from the UW-LaFollette School of Public Affairs. They put their knowledge into action. When the Senate is on the floor, Scholars staff the session under the direction of the Senate Sergeant-at-arms’ office. The week’s events culminate in a Senate Scholar committee hearing on a bill that the students have drafted.