Student Council members and chaperones with Assemblyman John McEneny in the Legislative Office Building.

February 11, 2009 - Seven members of the Shaker Junior High School Student Council met with state lawmakers recently and urged them to support schools, students and educational programs throughout the state.

The students visited the New York State Capitol Building and met with Assembly members John McEneny and Robert Reilly. They also met with an aide to Senator Neil Breslin and the chief counsel to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

The Student Council members who visited were Giovanna Ciavardoni, Amber Decker, Sean Egan, Jessica Falace, Michael Galvin, Christina Papadopolous and Brittany Searles. The students were accompanied by three social studies teachers: James Berti, Seth Harris and Kenneth Rizzo.
 

View a photo gallery of the visit.

Harris said he heard about the student lobby day several months ago when he attended a professional development seminar sponsored by the New York State Bar Association. The seminar was about effective student lobbying, so Harris thought that bringing some of his own students to the state Capitol would be a good idea, especially considering the state’s current budget crisis. The 2010 state budget proposal would reduce state education funding by about $700 million from 2009 levels.

“I wanted the students to have a chance to share their thoughts with elected officials,” he said.

Before their visit, each student wrote prepared remarks, which they then used to make specific requests during the meetings with lawmakers and aides, Harris said.

Reflecting on the experience, Student Council President Brittany Searles said lobby day gave her and other students a chance to prove to themselves that they can make a difference in the world, even if it is in a small way.

"I feel that I was effective in my lobbying efforts," she said, "because even if (politicians) do cut school budgets, they know how students believe it will affect them."

Student Council Secretary Amber Decker said it was fun to take what she learned in the classroom and put it to use in the real world. She echoed Searles’ belief that the group was in some way successful in its efforts.

"The different stories and reasons hit home in different ways for the different legislators," she said. "We were interrogated by some and commended by others, but I could always tell who really was interested."

However, both Searles and Decker added that the experience taught them that being a politician isn't easy.
 

"It's not just some joy ride being a politician, filled with campaigning and sitting in a room," Searles said, "you have to make important decisions that you know might help or hurt people.”
 

"I learned that the reasons we came up with, the legislators have already thought of and they are still having a difficult time," Decker said. "They have the same feelings as we do, but they are the ones that make the decisions, not us."

During the meetings, Student Council members pressed legislators to support programs that encourage students to study math, science, and languages other than English. Student Council Vice President Michael Galvin spoke to legislators about the link between success in math and science and success in music.

"Students who participate in the music program generally perform better in math and science classes because music promotes creativity and the ability to think outside of the box," Galvin said.

Galvin said he believed he had made a difference, but that some cuts were inevitable.

"I think they listened and will help us but will make cuts because money is finite," said Galvin.