Students learned what the census is, when it is done, how long it lasts and what it accomplishes.

According to Janice Watley, the director of Student Achievement and Success Program, “The census is the official count of every person in the United States.”

She added, “We can actually determine a lot of things by the population of a county, of a state [and] of a nation.”

First-year paralegal student Elizabeth Godwin spoke to Watley and said she has filled a census out before.

“It gives an accurate count of how many people are living in a community,” Godwin said.

Watley continued, “It determines funding for education and for our infrastructure. It lets us know how many people we can have in the House of Representatives because it depends on how many people are in a particular area and it’s a lot of money that goes into helping, for us to have the services that we provide.”

Watley said that the census is done every ten years.

The census begins March 12 until July.

Watley said the census begins online, in April they will mail out paper questionnaires and then come May and July people go door to door to people who have not submitted it.

Watley said that one adult per household must fill out the census.

Second-year psychology student Bella Hahn said she now knows about the census and has never filled it out before.

“To get accurate information and so we can get what we need for our area,” Hahn said.