Students and Government Day was created to assist Torrance students in the 8th grade in developing an effective civics education. Students who recognize and understand how local government works become more informed and involved citizens and voters. By participating in Students and Government Day, students learn the roles of the City Council and city staff by conducting a mock City Council meeting, learning the mechanics of self-governance, and participating at the local level.

The City of Torrance will host the 20^th annual Students and Government Day on May 5, 2026.

To participate in the 2026 program, 8^th grade students from Torrance schools should answer the following prompt: “The City of Torrance encourages us all to be involved in our community. What long-term volunteer program would you develop for 8th graders to participate in to make our city a better place to live, work, and play?"

Click here for more information, as well as instructions about how to submit an essay.

For more information about the program, please email StudentsAndGov@TorranceCA.Gov.

Students and Government Day helps students to:

• Develop an understanding of local city government
• Promote participation in community affairs
• Demonstrate that local government can and does affect our lives
• Emphasize that we can effect change at the local level