OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 9, 2005) -- While most people tend to think of big business and trial lawyers as the major lobbying forces in Oklahoma government, a new crop of lobbyists are becoming key players at the State Capitol – and they're all in elementary school.

Just one week after news that a class of Bridge Creek fifth-graders is pushing for a bill promoting a fitness plan for fifth-grade students statewide, Rep. Joe Sweeden announced today that fifth-graders from Skiatook have convinced him to file legislation to designate the strawberry as the official state fruit.

After conducting in-class research about their state in February of last year, the two fifth-grade classes taught by Pam Bell at Skiatook Intermediate Elementary discovered that while Oklahoma has over 40 state emblems, including a state bird, a state rock and a state percussive musical instrument (the scissor-tailed flycatcher, the rose rock and the drum, respectively), it does not have a state fruit.

Upon careful consideration, weighing the fact that strawberries are grown in at least eight Oklahoma counties, the classes voted that the strawberry should be the state fruit, with watermelon as the runner-up. After the students received approval for the proposal from all 175 fifth-grade students at Skiatook Elementary, Bell contacted Sweeden, D-Pawhuska, the state representative for the Skiatook area, who agreed to carry House Bill 1762 before the Legislature, in hopes of making the emblem official.

"I think it is always great when young people show a keen interest in their state, its native culture and the legislative process," Sweeden said. "Whenever we can help to encourage that interest, we have a great opportunity to instill state pride within Oklahoma's future leaders."

At least two other bills this session were originally inspired by Oklahoma elementary school students. Third-through-sixth-graders from Moore persuaded Sen. Kathleen Wilcoxson, R-Oklahoma City, to file a bill to make the selenite crystal the official state gem. And a fifth-grade class from Bridge Creek served as the inspiration behind legislation authored by Rep. Susan Winchester, R-Chickasha, that would establish a program designed to encourage fifth-grade students throughout Oklahoma to practice regular exercise and healthy living, while simultaneously educating them about their state.

In order to truly understand where the Skiatook fifth-graders were coming from, Sweeden visited the school after being notified of the class' legislative intentions. While there, he explained the Oklahoma legislative process to the students, outlining for them the various steps a bill must go through before it can become law.

According to Sweeden, who during his six years in office has often visited classrooms in his district to help educate students about state government, Bell's class also contacted their other state legislator, Sen. J. Berry Harrison, requesting his help in seeing HB 1762 pass in the Senate.

"Ms. Bell and her class told me their goal is to come to the Capitol and watch the House proceedings when the bill reaches the floor," Sweeden said. "They want to lobby for the bill, make phone calls, whatever it takes. My hope is that they can witness firsthand the governor signing their bill into law. Who knows, maybe we could even have him come out to Skiatook Elementary and sign the bill for the whole student body to see."

Sweeden said HB 1762 has been assigned to the House Rules Committee, and he has personally asked committee Chairman Sue Tibbs to allow the measure to receive a hearing.

"I'm very excited about the opportunity to help these students learn more about the legislative process," Sweeden said. "While they're at it, they could potentially be a part of history in-the-making."