Eleventh grade students Jaclyn Greco and Hunter Igoe recently attended the Students Inside Albany Leadership Conference organized by the League of Women Voters of New York State Education Foundation. The 13th annual event took place at the Albany Hotel from April 14–17. Fifty-five students from across the state were brought together to get a firsthand education about their state government, increasing the students awareness of their responsibility in a representative government. Conference attendees participated in a series of interactive lectures on topics including the state budget process, the role of lobbyists, citizens’ rights to access government information, the role of the media in politics and the move to reform state government. Students toured the State Capitol and shadowed Senator Cecilia Tkaczyk and Assemblyman Peter Lopez, and participated in a mock debate on the floor of the Assembly.
The students were selected on the basis of scholarship, community service, extra-curricular activities, government involvement, future goals and anticipated benefits of attending the conference. Greco is the daughter of John and Lisa Greco and has been involved in student government, band, volleyball, community service and other extra-curricular activities. Igoe is the son of Christopher and Brenda Igoe. He also has been a leader in school government, cross country, track and field, Key Club and other extra-curricular activities. The Saugerties League wishes to thank the Kiwanis Club of Saugerties for its financial assistance that enabled the candidates to attend this year’s leadership conference.