Special to the Record
Hundreds of students from across the Commonwealth spent Friday, March 31 at the Massachusetts State House. Since its advent in 1947, Student Government Day has invited high school students to learn about the process of government in Massachusetts through a series of activities, including mock hearings and speeches from sitting elected officials.
Three local Chelsea students joined their peers at Beacon Hill, where they met several elected officials, including State Senator Sal DiDomenico and fellow Chelsea native State Representative Judith Garcia. All of the students in attendance were selected by their classmates at school for the role.
“Taking part in Student Government Day has given me the opportunity to hear perspectives from all over the commonwealth. This was particularly interesting to me, as it gave me a chance to learn new things that I hadn’t considered before,” said Chelsea High student Jimmy Merino.
Aya Faiz of Excel Academy reiterated that sentiment, adding, “The experience was thought provoking when my views were challenged.”
“Politics and how the government works has always been a topic I’ve found interesting,” said Chelsea’s Hellen Funez. “Getting to know how the government works and learning about facts from the state house was something that I’ll always remember.”
“Young people are invested in politics,” said Representative Garcia, “They care about what’s happening, and they want to learn how the government works. It won’t be long before they’re
voting and running for office themselves, so I am always happy to incorporate them into our democracy and support them as they explore their role in it.”
Some students were invited to speak or were selected to fulfill different roles in the legislative process, including governor, Speaker of the House, and House clerk.
“Since there were a lot of students, I didn’t get to speak, but when it was all done, Judith asked us what we would’ve said,” said Funez. “This made it special because it showed it mattered to her and that what we had to say also mattered.
Student Government Day is an annual event that occurs every spring.