On Monday, a group of 10 Mt. Abram High School students attended the Kingfield selectmen’s meeting.

It was a lesson in government and citizenship they don’t get in the classroom.

The students sat through a hearing for a liquor license, heard discussion about excessive noise at a local go-kart track and listened while selectmen set a date for a special town meeting. Are these topics of immediate and intense interest to students? They may not think so, but the process they witnessed touches every aspect of their lives.

Granting a liquor license enables a local restaurant to maintain jobs. Quieting noise at the go-kart track preserves the peace in the community. The special town meeting will focus on funding Kingfield’s comprehensive plan, a plan that will dictate the landscape of the town.

Mt. Abram requires all high school students to attend a civic, or government, gathering before graduating from high school. While it may be seen as a mere homework assignment, it’s a terrific way to expose students to the quietly churning government machine that passes the laws and sets the regulations we live by.

High school is a place of learning, and the lesson that Mt. Abram requires of its students is one of real-life value. We applaud the school district for placing such importance on citizenship and encourage other districts to follow that lead.