Thirty-two students from Saugerties High School’s A.P. government and A.P. U.S. history classes were in attendance at Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State Executive Budget presentation on Jan. 21. Saugerties was one of only 10 schools around the state selected to attend.
Tony Tuccillo, who teaches A.P. government at SHS, said his students were excited to attend the presentation and enjoyed their behind-the-scenes look at state government. Tuccillo said the students were intrigued by a variety of different aspects of the experience, from how security is handled in Albany to the amount of money the state expends on education. Being able to observe elements of political outreach was also a highlight for the teens, who are avidly interested in politics and government. Following the visit to Albany, the students were asked to reflect on and write about their experience.