It wasn’t a case of being rebellious or a staged protest of any kind. However, 43 North Bergen High School students ascended on Town Hall on Tuesday and took over all the administrative offices, including the mayor’s office, the township administrator, even the police chief. No need for alarm. The entire day was staged, part of the township’s annual “Law Day” exercises, where members of the school’s student government gets to experience firsthand the daily procedures of the township. “I think it’s a very good program,” said Christine DiClemente, the advisor for the student government who helped to coordinate the event. “The kids were able to see that making decisions on the local level is not easy. They have this perception that being a public official is all fun and games, but it’s not that at all. There are a lot of decisions involved and it’s definitely not easy.” The “Law Day” exercises were not just limited to Town Hall. Five students were assigned to take over the Board of Education offices and some 40 others served as actual classroom teachers in the high school. “The program has really become extended over the years,” DiClemente said. “It’s not just about Town Hall anymore. We try to get as many students involved.” At Town Hall, each public service director gave the students a breakdown of what their duties entail. Some were taken on tours of the various facilities, like the Municipal Utilities Authority and the police department. As part of learning about the municipal courts, the students took part in a mock trial. They also sat in on the regularly scheduled Board of Commissioners meeting. Verika Rodriguez, the student council president at North Bergen High School, was given the responsibility of being mayor for the day, taking over for long-time leader Nicholas Sacco. Rodriguez, a senior who will head to Rutgers University in the fall, didn’t know exactly what the role of mayor entailed. But she knows now and has a better understanding and appreciation for what Sacco does on a daily basis. “There’s definitely a lot of pressure on you when you’re the mayor,” Rodriguez said. “You have the whole town to think of. You can’t just think of yourself. When an idea is brought up, you have to think fast and act on it. It’s quite different than being the student council, where you have to think of just the school. It really was a different experience for me.” Alexandra Cevallos had the distinction of being the township administrator for the day, replacing the hard-working Joseph Auriemma. “When I walked into his office, I told him right away that I didn’t know what he did,” said Cevallos, a senior who will head to Fordham University in the fall. “So I asked him to tell me and he did. I got a sense right away that he’s a man who has to do a lot of things. When I was there with him, people were constantly running in and out. He was able to deal with everything from the shopping center at Columbia Park to what clocks they’re putting on the streets. I really appreciated what he does.” DiClemente said that she was impressed with the way the students who attended the festivities acted. “They were really interested and very into it,” DiClemente said. “They enjoyed seeing all the different departments, seeing how the town operates. Most of these students had no idea before, but now, they have a better understanding. And the officials of the town were great, giving up Town Hall for the students. “Some of the students may want to go on to a career in politics, or go on to practice law, so this was a good experience for them,” DiClemente said. “They got a little taste of what to expect in later years.” Cevallos said that the experience was very positive for her, because she will major in political science at Fordham and hopes to get into public service later in life. “I thought the entire day was very insightful for me,” Cevallos said. “I got to know how this community runs and that was invaluable. I want to get into public service. Hopefully, perhaps one day I can be in their position.” Rodriguez isn’t as sure. “I think it’s interesting to be in politics, but I don’t think it’s for me,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t have a love for it right now. It wasn’t that I went into this trying to make up my mind. I still had fun and I learned a lot.”
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