Angelina Socha, a sophomore at East Leyden High School, spent Monday afternoon in Village Hall finding out about economic development in the village of Franklin Park.
“The job isn’t easy,” said Socha. “I thought it would be simpler.”
Alex Podger joined Village Trustee John Johnson on a trip to the Fire Department, Village Hall and an industrial section of Franklin Park.
More Top Picks Yo Yos
“I learned about what a trustee was, who they are and what they do,” Podger said. “They all have different jobs in the running of the government.”
Socha and Podger, along with others in the political science class taught by Robert Fowler, took part in the annual student government day April 20. Students shadowed village officials and department heads in the afternoon and then took part in a mock board meeting in the evening.
Fowler has been bringing his students to the village for 12 years.
“I’ve constantly heard kids say, ‘I didn’t know Franklin Park was that big’ or that Franklin Park has something,” Fowler said. “They usually come back amazed.”
“They discuss [village government] in class and get to see it in motion too,” said Lisa Anthony, who helped organize the event. “It’s to help the political science class at the high school see how local government works and operates.”