Third-graders from Craig Hill Elementary School put Congressman Tom Reynolds on the spot. During a question and answer video conference with Congressman Reynolds on May 21, students got the chance to find out what life is like for an elected official.

"We studied U.S. government this year and as a culminating experience we sent letters to Congressman Reynolds and Senator Charles Schumer," said Michelle Wrue, the students' third-grade teacher. Reynolds responded to the letters by suggesting a videoconference, allowing him to answer the student's questions face-to-face. A surprised Wrue agreed. "We never expected this opportunity to talk with Representative Reynolds," she said.

Videoconferencing with students was also a first for Congressman Reynolds. According to Paul Cole, the deputy manager for the Congressman's Greece office, Reynolds was "very anxious to talk with the students. He (Reynolds) thought that videoconferencing might be a great way to connect with these third-graders," Cole said. Reynolds was also drawn to this technology because it would allow him to talk with students in a way that would accommodate his schedule as a member of the House of Representatives. "Congressman Reynolds has been out to speak with students in schools before, but it can be difficult to find time for these visits," Cole said.

During the 45-minute session, each student had a turn at the microphone. They had previously written their own questions that covered a wide variety of topics such as:

How long do you work each day?

"I started at 7:30 this morning and will be done tonight at 11:00. I figure that members of Congress work about 12-15 hours per day."

Do you like the Capitol?

I really do. Every day I go to work I get a chill up my spine that my office is in the Capitol.

Were you nervous to be a Congressman?

"Some days I've been nervous. You think about the awesome responsibility that you have to people back in your district and some things can be nerve wracking. But I enjoy being a Congressman."

What is your job?

"I think that the most important part of my job is helping people. One of the things that I love about my job is that something different happens every day with helping people."

How old are you?

"In your eyes I'm very old. Anybody 52 in that room? I didn't think so."

Videoconferencing technology allows people at two different locations to connect through telephone or internet lines. This type of connection enabled Congressman Reynolds to speak with Wrue's students from a room at the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. Wrue said that she was thrilled by the chance to use this technology. "It was nice to have a real-life experience linked to a classroom lesson. Experiences like these make lessons more of a reality and show that technology is more than video games."