Some of her anxiety can be attributed to taking her first trip to the nation's capitol. Or it might have something to do with appearing on live television in front of 15 million viewers.

"I'll be fine once I start talking," she said. "I'll just be a little uneasy right before we get started."

Fischer and five other Muncie Central students will help host "Capitol Deliberations," an Electronic Field Trip sponsored by Ball State University and the Best Buy Children's Foundation. The broadcast, 10 a.m. EST and 1 p.m. EST May 11 and 13, will be viewed by schools that registered for the program.

To prepare for the field trip, the students researched, wrote and debated the issue of mad cow disease. They held a town hall meeting March 15 in Muncie, presenting the issue from each stakeholder's position. Arguments were made from the perspective of the Cattlemen's Association, consumers, restaurant owners, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Arguing various sides of the issue has helped the students develop an in-depth understanding of the issue and also how the legislative and lobbying processes work. Revealing how the process works will hopefully encourage others to get involved, said Joseph Guarnery, Muncie Central High School senior.

"Through the field trip, we hope that students will realize that their input does count and that they can make a difference," he said.

Other students appearing in the broadcasts with Fischer and Guarnery are:

• Louis Johnson, Muncie Central

• Lindsey Craig, Muncie Central

• Adrienne Nothnagel, Muncie Central

• Elizabeth Warrner, Muncie Central

• Logan Ury, Spanish River Community High School, Boca Raton, Fla.

• Isaac Johnson, High Tech High School, San Diego

• Rylan Sundsbak, Des Lacs Burlington High School, Des Lacs, N.D.

• Alex Wyckoff, McAllen High School, McAllen, Texas

Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert will kick off each program. Students across the United States will be able to view and ask questions about everything from lobbying and legislators to hamburgers and hotdogs.

From the broadcast and its accompanying Web site (www.bsu.edu/eft), they will be able to learn about mad cow disease (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy), writing a white paper, lobbying strategy and presenting policy solutions to members of Congress.

Along with the backing of the sponsors, the interactive Internet and satellite broadcasts will be aired with the help of members of Congress and other groups and personnel on Capitol Hill.

Through the Electronic Field Trip's Web site, teachers will have access to lesson plans for math, science, reading, writing, social studies, geography and more. As students learn more from the site, they will be able to e-mail or call in with in-depth questions for the show's panel of experts.

Each field trip costs $75 per school and includes the broadcast, Web-based learning materials and free access to previous programs. Scholarships are available. Any school interested in the broadcast can register by calling toll free (866) 279-8716 or by logging on to www.bsu.edu/eft. 

(Note to Editors: For more information, contact Kornmann at (765) 285-8106 or mkornmann@bsu.edu.)