[media-credit name=’BRYAN FAUST/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]BROOKFIELD — In one of the final campaign pushes before this year’s gubernatorial race, Gov. Jim Doyle spent time Friday at Brookfield East High School speaking to a group largely comprised of non-voters.

Doyle told the group of students, which he said included some "future governors," that education has always been his "No. 1 priority."

"I believe [education] is so incredibly important to the state and to the country," Doyle said. "I’m just very, very thankful for what was given to me … by the people who were willing to invest in our schools."

The governor told students that he thinks just about all of them will "move on" beyond high school and stressed the importance of post-secondary schooling.

"I would guarantee you that everyone in this room is going to pick up some sort of high education — because you just need it in the world today," Doyle said. "I want to make sure that it’s available for you here in the state of Wisconsin."

While the governor acknowledged the rising cost of college tuition, he pointed to his work to increase financial aid and added that tuition at University of Wisconsin-Madison is the second lowest in the Big Ten.

Doyle also highlighted his Wisconsin Covenant, a plan that would guarantee a seat in the UW System to eighth graders who sign a contract committing themselves to finish high school with a B average while staying out of trouble.

In September, Doyle’s challenger, U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Wis., visited the same high school in the dominantly Republican Waukesha County just outside Milwaukee. While there, Green told the same group of students that education is one of his priorities as well.

Green, who has criticized the governor for allowing UW tuition to increase 50 percent since taking office, said he will "slow down" tuition hikes and make higher education more affordable.

"Any time tuition increases, student aid should increase," Green said. "Financial assistance has not kept pace."

Doyle added that his commitment to education includes vetoing a Republican plan that would have cut $400 million in educational funding in the state.

For K-12 education, Green has proposed a "70-percent plan" that he said would send an additional 70 cents of every dollar spent on education, or $300 million, directly to the classroom setting. He also supports a merit-pay program that would pay teachers based on performance, not years of experience.

Meanwhile, Doyle said that despite the fact that many of the students he spoke to Friday are not old enough to vote, young people still manage to challenge him. Such was the case before last month’s gubernatorial debate in La Crosse.

"On the way to La Crosse, I stopped at West Salem High School, and they were grilling me with everything they could think of," Doyle said. "So I was ready for the debate."

Brookfield East social studies teacher Andy Farley said he has not heard of another high school in the state that both primary gubernatorial candidates have visited.

Farley wrote a letter to both candidates asking them to come in, as he teaches a current issues class that is focusing on the gubernatorial race.

"I think it was a really unique opportunity," Farley said Friday. "It was extremely fascinating having both Green and Doyle in here to talk about a similar issue."

Farley added "it’s kind of humbling" that both Green and Doyle made efforts to take time to stop and speak to his class.