VIDEO: Second Graders "School" Village Officials with Questions

Village Hall was buzzing with the energy of 63 second-grade students on Wednesday, as the students hopped off school buses and plopped into the auditorium seats to kick off their "Community Day" field trip.

The Hynes Elementary students, who are learning about community in social studies, took the opportunity to ask Mayor Dan Staackmann anything they wanted: his favorite animal, his favorite sport, his wake-up time, his breakfast menu, what he does for vacation, and if he has a bodyguard. Some students offered some tough questions about taxes and the election process as well.

Fire Chief Tom Friel, Police Chief Mark Erickson and Police Training Officer Ken Van Der Haegen also attended the event and answered questions, such as "Do bad guys break out of jail?" and "Do bad guys eat McDonald's in jail?"

"This event is absolutely wonderful," said second-grade teacher Lisa Featherstone. "It brings everything to life and the students can see what we talk about in class."

After the meeting at Village Hall, the students, teachers and handful of parent volunteers visited the , toured the Morton Grove Public Library, and lunched at the neighborhood diner, .

"I think these events are great," said Mayor Dan Staackmann. "Sometimes it's the first exposure the students have to organized government, and first-time impressions can last a lifetime."

Fire Chief Tom Friel said such events can be crucial for children's understanding of public service.

"A lot of people say our most valuable commodity is our youth and getting them started on the right road, not only understanding their local government, but understanding the value of public service," said Friel.

Hynes' Community Day has been going on for at least four years.