Katie accomplished all this by the ripe old age of ten. Katie's bill, known as House Bill 2302, deals with protecting Virginia's state parks from litterbugs. And while Virginia already has a criminal penalty for littering, Katie's bill creates a civil penalty with a stiffer fine. Katie's love of parks and her despair at seeing trash cluttering riverbanks and pristine wilderness areas inspired her bill. We need to protect our wildlife.
Animals die every day because of our litter.
This exercise in civics was a great learning experience for Katie and her classmates. Also, Virginia's park rangers now have an additional tool to use in protecting parks and the environment. The school's Technology Now Committee, a committee of Madison High School parents, proposed the project to address the growing need for students to have access to computers at home. As teachers incorporate more and more technology into their instructional programs, students need computers and the Internet for homework assignments and research projects. The school's social worker and guidance counselors identify families that are eligible for the project.