Student Government Day making a comeback in Saugus

SAUGUS – An old tradition at Saugus High School took its first step at making a comeback on Monday, as more than 50 students gathered in the library for Student Government Day, where students learn about town government first-hand from local public officials.School Committee Chairman Wendy Reed, Board of Selectmen Chairman Mike Serino, Town Moderator Bob Long, Town Meeting member Peter Manoogian and School Committee members Arthur Grabowski and Corinne Riley were all on hand to tell students about their duties and to field questions.?We haven?t done this in a long time in Saugus,” said Grabowski. “We hope to kick it off with this little gathering here and next year, and the years after we hope to go into mock meetings and sitting in the actual chairs that the elected representatives sit in.”Long compared his role as Town Moderator to that of a captain on one of the high school sports teams.?You vote captains right?” asked Long. “What do you expect your captains to be? Open? Honest? Fair? That?s what you expect. It doesn?t always turn out that way, but that?s what you?re looking for (in a Town Moderator).”Manoogian used to teach at Saugus High from 1976 to 1997 and said he was impressed with how attentive the students were.Manoogian said his goal is to get the students more involved in government and to get them to vote.?Voting is the most important and cherished right that we have as American citizens,” said Manoogian. “I hope you do that. I tell you, elected officials make it a point to check and see, if someone calls with a complaint, to see if they?re registered to vote. Hopefully you will exercise your right and your opportunity to vote.”After a short video explaining the rules and the history of the Town Meeting form of government, students had the opportunity to ask questions, and sports took center stage Monday.Senior A.J. Guthro asked about the possibility of getting a turf field, while three-sport athlete Nick Taylor had questions about athletic user fees and how the money is spent.?It?s in the very early stages,” said Grabowski of the turf field. “It will be funded through donations. At this point in time the town cannot afford it because it?s about a $2 million project. As far as I know, it?s still in the exploratory process.”Grabowski said if students want a turf field, they have the ability to gather signatures to add an article to the Town Meeting warrant.?Go to Town Meeting and voice your opinion on that,” said Grabowski. “That?s how things change.”Senior Melissa McCarthy asked about the school?s tennis courts and why they?ve only been partially repaired after not being allowed to have home matches last year.?We still have the net from 10 years ago,” said McCarthy. “It?s like different color greens now. One court is half black and the other court is green.”Reed said the contractor who was supposed to repair the courts didn?t do the job properly and is supposed to come back to finish.Principal Joe Diorio said he hopes by continuing Student Government Day in the future, his students will take a more active role in the town.?As the selectmen said, a lot of the seniors vote, but we don?t have a lot of young kids voting,” said Diorio. “I think some of the kids will (vote). But overall I think they understand the process.”Senior Shannon Hook said she learned a lot from the presentation and liked the fact that sports issues were discussed.?I thought it was informative,” said Hook. “For my grade, obviously academics is important, but sports is also a big deal for us.”Jamie Palladino said she didn?t know much about town government until after Monday?s meeting and said she?d like to get more involved in the future.?I liked it because they told us about the process and everything,” said Palladino. “I think it?s a good idea that young people start going to these things because we have a lot of issues that people don?t know about.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].