Councilors urge Project YES kids to get political

LYNN – What inspired you to be a city councilor? Have you ever met a president?Ward 5 Councilor Brendan Crighton, Councilor at large Hong Net and Peabody City Councilor Thomas Gould fielded these and other, sometimes personal, often tough, questions from the precocious middle schoolers involved in Project YES during its monthly parent night at Thurgood Marshall School.?This is about getting you to do the right thing – to stay in school and volunteer in your community,” Gould said. “It?s expected of you.”The men told personal stories of what led them to become city councilors and each touched on the same point: they could be councilors themselves someday.?I envy you,” Net said. “When I was your age, I didn?t have a chance to sit in a classroom, but I still made it here. You have all the support you need to be anything.”As hands shot up in the air, the councilors somewhat reluctantly called on eager students, who asked anything from how to become a city councilor to how much money they make for the job.?No one does this job for the money,” Crighton told the kids. “There are a lot of worthwhile programs that need funding, and a lot of things we want to change.”Project YES (Youth Empowerment and Success), an anti-gang after-school program, provides academic support, life skills and career development to at-risk middle schoolers.Parent education specialist Alex Chhung, who works with Project YES and hosted the meeting, said he hoped the students would be inspired by the councilors to achieve their own political success.?The reason I brought you here to speak to these big shots is because you have the same dream, and, who knows, maybe you?ll be the next president or state senator,” Chhung said.The men discussed the importance of local government in ways that affected kids their age. Crighton alluded to a petition by members of Girls Inc. to stop area stores from targeting children in cigarette ads.?Kids came and presented the idea, and we passed an ordinance mandating [the stores] market only to adults. I think that?s a great testament to getting involved,” he said.The councilors urged the boys to be civic-minded and get involved as early in life as possible in politics. Crighton encouraged them to apply for the city?s Youth Council, a fledgling program to get middle and high school students a voice in local government.?It?s my favorite thing, working with the kids and trying to encourage more participation,” Crighton said.Taylor Provost can be reached at [email protected].