On Wednesday, April 1, Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) of California’s 2nd Congressional District visited Archie Williams during the tutorial period. Approximately 55 students and faculty gathered in the Little Theater to ask Huffman questions and develop an understanding of Huffman’s priorities. Social studies teacher Raquel Nelson, the coordinator of the event, invited juniors and seniors to learn about Huffman’s role as their representative.

This is not the first time Nelson has coordinated an event with Huffman; in 2020, Nelson invited him to speak with her students in an online format, given the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. However, Nelson finds that an in-person format was more effective and interactive.

“On Zoom, I could only [invite] my class, but today, all juniors and seniors [were invited]… [Inviting] anybody who cared about politics and wanting to meet our representative — that was so much more impactful and fun,” Nelson said.

According to Nelson, few of her colleagues have invited politicians to speak with students, yet she finds that such interactions can lead to perspectives that a traditional lesson could not.

“I wonder if [other teachers] even know it’s possible?” Nelson said. “[I wanted to invite] somebody who [works in politics] for a living, who’s in the mess of it all, and who’s crafting a vision of what they think the future of our nation should look like. To give my students the ability to be able to ask them questions directly about stuff that they care about is so powerful.”

Huffman shares the same sentiment as Nelson, finding that visits to schools can offer educational opportunities.

“I think there is educational value in talking to someone who’s in the arena [and] serving on all these issues,” Huffman said.

After providing a brief description of his role in Congress, Huffman opened the event up for questions. Student attendees, including senior Nick Offord, asked a range of questions about Huffman’s work. After the visit, Nick felt that Huffman was genuine and authentic in his interactions with the audience.

“When [an audience member] was asking about environmental [policy], I could really sense that he cared [about us] and that when he came here, he wasn’t really just doing it for the press. [It seemed like] he really wanted to inform us of what he was doing [as] representative for this county,” Nick said.

Environmental policy stood out as the issue students were most concerned with during their session with Huffman. In an interview after the event had concluded, Huffman emphasized his commitment to restoring clean energy initiatives and environmental protections.

“I’m worried about the direction our environmental policy and climate policy has taken,” Huffman said. “After doing some really important forward steps [during] the previous four years, we’re now on this fossil fuel binge and trying to kill off the clean energy industry and roll back all the environmental protections… If I’m successful in this election and the House [of Representatives] wins back the Democratic majority, I’ll be doing everything I can to turn that around.”

Huffman explained that his intent behind his visit on Wednesday was not political, but rather educational.

“I think it’s important as a member of Congress that I try to be part of the learning experience… I’m not here to convert people to my politics,” Huffman said.

Several students asked Huffman about how he will move forward following the passage of Proposition 50, which reorganized his district to include Modoc, Shasta, and Siskiyou counties. Huffman believes it will take time to adapt to the change.

“I’ve got to do a lot of listening on the front end of this… I’ve got a ton of people I need to meet, [and] I have to try to bring some humility to these new places,” Huffman said.

Attendees, including Nick, also raised questions about the Save America Act, a piece of federal legislation that would require voters to “provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote” and hamper voting by mail. For Huffman, this bill reflects a broader concern regarding the stability of democracy.

“Right now, I’m very worried about the future of our democracy. I’m worried about the rule of law. I’m worried about this incredible corruption that we see at the highest levels of government, and I really want to get that back on the rails,” Huffman said.

As the tutorial period concluded, student attendees left the visit with a more nuanced understanding of American government and the most pressing topics Huffman faces. Moving forward, Huffman will continue visiting high schools across his district and looks forward to meeting his new constituents if he is to be reelected later this year.

This story was originally published on The Pitch on April 15, 2026.