Inside Albany: Students reflect on visit to NY Legislature

PERU | School is out for summer, but students from Peru Central School had lessons in government that went beyond books, bricks and mortar. Connor Baehre, a Peru Central senior next fall, attended the League of Women Voters' conference, Students Inside Albany, near the end of this school year. The four-day conference offers opportunity for high school juniors statewide to visit the Capitol and meet their legislators. Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of New York Education Foundation, the method for choosing student candidates is coordinated in Essex and Clinton counties by the League of Women Voters of the North Country (LWV). Baehre's attendance followed last year's selection of Melina Mitchell, who graduated from Peru Central in June. Their history teacher Peter McCormick helped coordinate their applications. The succession of Peru youth happened purely by chance. League members draw names at random from the many area students who register for the opportunity to attend. Annika Pair from Northern Adirondack Central School was chosen 1st alternate this year with Lino Caputo from Boquet Valley Central School as 2nd alternate. Applications were coordinated through their teachers, at NAC via Michael Nichols and at Boquet Valley via Brian Basile. The Sun met with both Peru students, attendees from this year and last, to talk about the experience and what they learned about government. LWV's Students Inside Albany engages 42 high school juniors from across the state with interactive discussion about government procedures, Capitol tours and shadow sessions with representative lawmakers. The Peru youth spent time meeting with and job shadowing Assemblyperson Billy Jones and Senator Dan Stec. League organizers plan Inside Albany dates so students can see active legislative voting. LAWMAKING LESSONS Mitchell and Baehre said watching legislative discourse had a profound impact on the way they understand government. "I had one-to-one time with both Jones and Stec," Mitchell said. "That building is magnificent. Being in there with the actual politicians and watching them vote helped me better appreciate how it works. It was hard to understand at first. In the Assembly, they vote by pressing a button, green or red. I found it impressive that they know so much about what they're voting on." One of the measures Mitchell saw gain Assembly approval was the resolution to name the Route 9 bridge south of Peru as the Captain Christopher J. Garrow Memorial Bridge. The 2023 loss of Capt. Garrow was felt deeply by Peru family, friends and community. Mitchell also attended a Senate Republican conference. "The Senate has more time for discussion in session," Mitchell said. "In the Republican conference room, they discussed a lot of problems that I wasn't aware of. It was a more informal setting, and people found a lot of agreement in conference. Once we were in the Senate chamber, the process became very formal." There are 63 senators in NYS and 150 assemblymembers, which creates different voting procedures. "I liked the Assembly voting process most," Mitchell said. "There are more members, it's less formal." Inside Albany, high school juniors attended morning seminars sponsored by LWV, learning how lobbyists impact decision-making, how media perspective impacts legislation, and how to run for office. The four-day conference provided time for students to socialize. "I really liked making the connections with other students. I've stayed in touch," Mitchell said of the social side of the conference. Beahre noted less political division in Albany than what emerges from national political discourse. "Red vs. Blue isn't as divided on the state level," he said. "The difference was incredible. More people were working for their constituents. Some legislators did take personal opinions into discussion, but they were working for the people." Legislation taken up during his visit met few objections. "Everyone wanted the bills to pass. In the Education Committee, there were a few bills they decided weren't going to the floor. Those were primarily for general funding in education. It was cool to see the specific process used to get the bills to vote." Beahre said lobbyists were actively rallying against the Medical Aid in Dying Act, or MAID, during the days they were in Albany. The MAID Act did clear both the Assembly and the Senate after hours of debate in June. It has not been signed into law yet by Gov. Kathy Hochul. INFORMED OPINIONS The conference helped Mitchell understand the real weight of state-level government. "A lot of people seem to only pay attention to what happens in federal government. In terms of representation, local legislators represent their communities more accurately. Federal politicians seem to run to win office. People run on the state level to make change. I learned so much from the experience," she said. The students took valuable lessons with them from Peru's Advanced Placement Government class with Francine Laporte. Class assignments, they said, present a political stance and students have to write a full paragraph presenting the opposing view. "We have to research both sides," Baehre said. "Bias and opinion from each side can make you crazy. "The goal is to arrive at an informed opinion." Mitchell said knowing how government works could help people see an issue from both sides, "even if you're not in agreement or it doesn't affect your life." A way to gain perspective, she said, is to get input from people with diverse backgrounds. "I ask about other perspectives," she said, "and get input on opposing opinions." If the conflict is vastly divided, she said, "I lean a little on my morals, my heart leads when my brain is split." ............................. PERSPECTIVE: THE FUTURE Both young adults from Peru Central will be able to vote this year. Beahre turns 18 this summer and Mitchell reached age 18 last year. The Sun asked for their views about growing numbers "Unaffiliated" (UA) voters, people who register to vote, but don't pick a party. Nationwide, the number of UA or "No Party" registered voters is higher by about a third than both Republican and Democratic party rosters. Unaffiliated voters are largest voting bloc in New York state behind the Democrats. About 3.6 million, or 26.26 percent of registered voters (as of last October), outpacing registered Republicans. The students believe the increase in "Unaffiliated" voters reflects the fact that citizens, particularly youth, are unwilling to pick one side or the other. "People who value the complexity of issues find it hard to rely on one party, specifically," Baehre said. "They're not really sure which party could accurately represent you." "With misinformation and social media, everything is so loud," Mitchell said. "I don't always find myself connecting with one side or the other. Alignment with one party could almost be out of blind faith." But today's young adults face big decisions about the future: widening income gaps, sustained devaluation of the U.S. dollar, incongruous immigration policy. Their history teacher, Mr. McCormick, said skills for building consensus involve learning how to reach a middle point and move forward from there. From her experience inside Albany, Mitchell went on to create the YouthSurge podcast to help balance civil discussion. "I think in terms of learning, the conference really knocked it out of the park," she said. "I learned so much. State government is something everybody should understand." "It was a very engaging experience," Baerhe said. "The most important takeaway for me was to see how much everyone wants to see improvement in New York State. It put a smile on my face. The representatives know their people, that's where they live." Mitchell is heading to Northeastern University in Boston in the fall, looking to combined studies in computer science and biology, aiming for law school, particularly STEM-related legal fields. Beahre will start his senior year at Peru Central next September, but is approaching university studies in either medicine or law. To learn more about programs from the League of Women Voters of the North Country: lwv.org/local-leagues/lwv-north-country

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Inside Albany: Students reflect on visit to NY Legislature

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