On Aug. 25, Republican Mike Pompeo paid a visit to Conway Springs High School. He is currently serving his second term as a Representative for the Fourth District of Kansas in Washington, D.C. Pompeo was born and raised in California then enrolled at the United States Military Academy at West Point where he graduated top of his class in 1986; he then served as a cavalry officer for the military. He returned to South Central Kansas, where his mother was from, after earning his law degree and founded Thayer Aerospace.

The senior class, along with government teacher Craig Frederick, did a study day over Pompeo the Friday before he came so the seniors were prepared to ask questions and prompt Pompeo to explain things the students were curious about.

Pompeo covered many topics about what he does and why he does it.

“Pompeo said if you see something going on that you don’t like, change it yourself,” Student Council President Dustin Martin recalled.

He said he agreed with Pompeo that the people need take control. Pompeo joined the government on this idea and since then has been working on trying to get his voice heard in the United States.

“I wish Pompeo had talked more about Congress being locked between the Democrats and the Republicans and how that affects us with nothing getting done,” junior Anthony Becker said.

After this discussion with the entire school, Pompeo received a full tour of the school from principal Brent Harrell. Pompeo then had a smaller meeting with the Student Council, where they were prompted to ask more questions about Pompeo. Some students took advice for StuCo from what Pompeo said.

“I learned that I need to make compromises,” Martin said. “Some people may disagree, but I have to do what’s best.”

Pompeo said he is doing the same, what he thinks is best, in Washington, D.C. He said, however, that he still tries to reach every person of his district.

“Some did benefit from the visit, and they all got to experience what a Representative was,” said Mr. Frederick. “People should know they can call and talk to their Representatives. Sometimes the TV makes them seem unreachable and bigger than they are, but they are real people too.”