Hope for the Future Generation

Last week I met with students from Region 12 School, who were up at the Capitol for Connecticut Association of Boards of Education Day to protest forced school regionalization. I assured the visitors that I would not support forced regionalization and thanked them for their activism.

What I cherished most about their visit was the opportunity it afforded me to interact with students from my area. What I saw and heard gave me much hope for the future.

One of the students, whose name is Lily Schur (standing next to me) wrote a very considerate follow up email. I encourage everyone to read it. With an up and coming young generation that seems to be consumed by electronics and social media, this young woman shows that there are people in her generation who are politically engaged, poised, articulate, and wise beyond their years.
Good Evening Senator Berthel,
I am a student from Region 12 (the one who hopes to one day become a JAG) who visited you yesterday to talk about the effects of Governor Lamont’s ideas on regionalization. I just wanted to say thank you so much for taking valuable time out of your day to be so kind and considerate of our ideas. I think I am speaking for just about everyone when thanking you for this opportunity because there is no greater feeling than knowing that your voice has been heard. I believe that is one of the greatest aspects of America’s democratic system. I thank you so much for being such a thoughtful listener when speaking with you yesterday. As a student, regionalization seems to be a scary thought when discussing the social climate effects on my classmates and I. But I hope, through the power of democracy and negotiations, both sides of the isle can come upon an agreement for this proposal. From an outsider perspective, I feel that (in both political parties) we have lost sense of negotiation and what it means to engage in true cooperative dialect. This is why yesterday meant so much to me. Yesterday showed me how leaders like you are still fighting to promote true democracy and inclusivity with the citizens of Connecticut. I hope you know that your thoughtful actions do not go unnoticed. So again, thank you so much for taking time out of your extremely busy day to hear our thoughts on current policy proposals in Connecticut. I hope to keep in contact with you every once in a while because I truly believe that you’re promoting positivity for small towns in Connecticut. Thank you for your leadership and service to Connecticut. Good luck with Governor Ned Lamont.
Best Regards,
Lily Schur