Ponca City High School students in the Wildcat Internship Program recently visited the
Oklahoma State Capitol to experience the real-world side of education and public service.
The visit, organized by Zach Murray, Ponca City’s district representative for the Oklahoma
Education Association (OEA), gave students insight into how education policy is shaped at the
state level.
The day began at the OEA, where students learned how legislation is tracked and how
educators advocate for schools. The group then traveled to the Capitol, meeting with
Representative Ken Luttrell and connecting with Senator Bill Coleman during one of the busiest
days of the session.
Inside the Capitol, they stepped into a high-energy environment with conversations happening
in every direction. Legislators and lobbyists moved quickly between meetings beneath the
rotunda, surrounded by murals and sculptures that reflect Oklahoma’s history.
While there, the group had the unexpected opportunity to meet Speaker of the House Kyle
Hilbert, who stopped to speak with them and personally encouraged eligible students to take the
next step in civic engagement: voting.
From the gallery, they watched a live session, seeing firsthand how debate, questions, and
voting play out in real time and how advocacy and civic engagement shape outcomes that
impact communities. For many, it was their first real look at how those processes work and who
is in the room when they happen. Experiences like this are a key part of the Wildcat Internship
Program, helping students connect what they’re learning to the real systems shaping their
world