President Carter chats with local high school students

Local high school students had a chance to pick the mind of former President Jimmy Carter.

Sugar-Salem High School is one of just five schools across the nation to participate. They chatted with Carter via webcam about the National Park System. During his presidency Carter doubled the size of the National Park System by signing the Alaska National Interest Lands Conversation Act.

Every student at Sugar-Salem was asked to come up with a question. Two students actually got to ask the former president their questions.

“During your time as president you focused on protecting and conserving our natural resources. What is my role in helping to protect the environment?” asked Connor Stoddard.

Melia Dayley asked how the act continued to affect the United States today and what its significance was to an American teenager.

“I think its important as a teenager that we look at national things that happen, not just now but in the past and how that affects us,” said Dayley.

The event was streamed live on the Idaho Public Television website.