Rep. McNiel takes 100 Ideas to students

Mannford Eagle/Sand Springs Leader, March 21, 2007
"McNiel seeks ideas from students"

For Oklahoma to succeed in its second century it needs the input, the ideas and suggestions of its citizens, including students.

That was the message State Rep. Skye McNiel delivered to a group of seventh and eighth grade students Friday at Keystone School.

The program is called the "100 Ideas Initiative" and was launched earlier this year by House Speaker Lance Cargill and other politicial leaders in an effort to "seek citizen input to create a stronger grassroots approach to governing while also soliciting the excellence of Oklahoma's citizenery."

The leaders plan to collect the ideas through a series of town hall-style meetings and interaction with the state's citizens in small group settings called "IdeaRaisers."

"It's a commitment to listen to the state's citizens, to be guided by their ideas and to work to create a state government that boosts opportunity for Oklahoma's families," Cargill said.

The first 100 ideas submitted will be collected and published in a book and serve as an agenda and plan, Cargill said.

McNiel, when speaking to the Keystone students, encouraged them to form IdeaRaiser groups and submit their suggestions.

During a question and answer period, McNiel talked about how she became involved in politics.

McNiel said she was raised on her family's cattle ranch and because her father "was always saying he needed truck drivers" to haul his cattle, she decided in middle school she would be a truck driver.

As a high school senior, McNiel served as a page at the State Legislature, and "that's when I got interested in politics."

Later at Oklahoma State University, she considered becoming a lobbyist, but after another stint at the Capitol, she decided "there was too much bickering and arguing."

After graduation, she opened a flower shop in Bristow and became involved in the community as president of the Bristow Education Foundation and the Bristow Chamber of Commerce.

This time, when politcial leaders asked to run for the Legislature, "I gave in and agreed to run."

NcNiel says she has been told she is the "youngest or at least one of the youngest women elected to the Legislature."

More information about the 100 Ideas Initiative can be found at the group's website: 100ideasok.org