Just after his win in the state Assembly primary, Union City Mayor Brian Stack got a an idea that it would be great to bring a bunch of high school students down to Trenton to spend the day and learn about state government.
Two weeks ago, that idea came to fruition as approximately 30 students from Emerson High School History teacher Dennis McMullen’s and Kelly Barnes’ English class got the opportunity to do just that.
Part of “History Day at the New Jersey General Assembly,” the students toured the State House, looked at beautiful art, ate wonderful food and even got to witness a session of the General Assembly.
“This is something I wanted to do to help get the kids more involved in government,” Stack said. “It’s so important to get them engaged in government.”
Stack also admitted that it is a good way to get the kids out of Union City for a day.
As for the reaction of the students, Stack said, “I think that they were really impressed. They met a lot of important people. Not me, of course.” He added, laughing, “I’m just Brian. I still pay the same bills everyone else does.”
Stack added, “Our democracy has been shaped by major events that made history in our country, and having an understanding of that history is fundamental to the success of our youth.”
According to Emerson High School History teacher Dennis McMullen, the day his students spent in Trenton had a positive effect on them.
“What we are trying to do is make history and government come alive for the kids,” he said. “We try to activate kids’ thinking and their minds. Legislation can seem dull when you read about it, but when you see it up close and personal, well, you could just tell that the kids could feel what was going on. It makes understanding the whole process so much more exciting for them.”
In fact, the day, which lasted from 10 a.m. to 2:30, was such a success that it most likely will be repeated.
Said Stack, “We’re going to do this in every school in the 33rd District. I want to expose the maximum amount of students to the governmental process.”
A two-hour tour
When the students first arrived at the Assembly, the were taken on a two-hour tour by Stack’s Assembly Aide Wendy Martinez. They were shown the different works of art that adorn the Assembly building, which is the oldest in the country.
According to everyone involved, the students seemed to be most impressed with the architecture of the building, with many staring wide-eyed at the splendor and grandeur of the rotunda.
The students were then treated to a lunch that Emerson teacher Dennis McMullen deemed “very impressive.”
Said McMullen, “I gotta tell you, we were served the same lunch as the lawmakers get. The kids loved the food.” Each student also received a care package from the General Assembly.
Perhaps the highlight was when the students were taken into a live session of the General Assembly which was being led by New Jersey General Assembly Speaker Albio Sires, who happens to be mayor of neighboring West New York. According to the teachers, the students were excited to see someone from their own “neck of the woods” leading the Assembly.
Said teacher Dennis McMullen, “We got to see the Assembly empty, then we got to see it full of lawmakers. It was quite a sight.”
An unnamed student who attended stated, “I really enjoyed the paintings. It was really a great experience. We’d love to go again because we definitely learned a lot and had a lot of fun as well.”
Union City Commissioner Christopher Irizarry, who also attended the event, commented last week, “The students were really enthusiastic. It was a marvel to see their faces when they first walked into the Assembly building. They were very curious and a lot of them actually seemed to know a lot about government.”