PEABODY — After a two-year COVID-19 hiatus, Student Government Day, a day pairing high school students with counterparts in a variety of municipal government roles, is back.
Mayor Edward A. Bettencourt Jr. said that the return of Student Government Day is just another event of many popular activities that the city is seeing back on schedule now that the pandemic seems to be heading in the right direction.
“It’s another good sign that we are finally getting back to some of the traditions that, unfortunately, we have not been able to hold due to the pandemic,” said Bettencourt, who also serves as School Committee chairman.
“Of all the events and programs that we missed during the pandemic, Student Government Day is among my very favorites. Students get to experience firsthand the nuts and bolts of local government. It is a terrific learning experience and hopefully some of them are inspired to consider a career in public service.”
School Committee member Beverley Griffin Dunne said Student Government Day has been arounds since the 1960s. When asked if she participated when she attended high school, Dunne was quick to answer.
“You bet I did and I was lucky to be elected for two years. I wanted to be my ward councilor (Ward 2) but I didn’t get it,” Dunne said, adding she served as a library trustee one year and parks and recreation commissioner the other.
“Many current and past elected officials and members of many of the city’s departments and boards served on Student Government Day, including Mayor Bettencourt. The mayor always points out that his wife, Andrea, served as mayor long before he was elected. I’ve always wanted to ask people who now serve in the city if they did it when they were in high school as I believe you will find that many of them did.”
Students must be elected to their positions to participate.
State Rep. Thomas P. Walsh (D-Peabody) said he participated in the election portion, but lost the race for mayor by 37 votes.
“Although I was disappointed that I wouldn’t be mayor for the day, I loved the excitement running up to the election and being part of learning how the process worked,” Walsh said.
Elections took place in February followed by student/counterpart meet-and-greet sessions last Thursday.
Student Government Day includes a full day of activities for all participants. It starts with a breakfast at City Hall followed by a tour of various city venues, including the Torigian Senior Center, The Meadow at Peabody Golf Course, and the Peabody Police headquarters.
The evening portion of the program includes student-run City Council and School Committee meetings at which time students have the opportunity to sit in their counterparts’ chairs and introduce business matters and present and debate their own motions. Parents are invited to attend. A group photo will be taken to commemorate the day.
“We always have a really good time that night,” said Dunne. “The kids really and truly get hands-on experience on what it’s like to work in the city and serve on elected committees and boards. It’s just so much fun to be able to work with the students and see some of their ideas, many of which are actually carried through by the real committee members.”
Dunn said she has seen students working with the Peabody Municipal Light Plant actually crawling around in the eaves of City Hall. Local newspapers (including the Daily Item) at one time were also involved, with students covering the day and writing a story that would be published in their counterpart’s paper the next day.
“God bless all the city departments, as this is a huge undertaking as nearly everyone participates,” Dunne said. “I still think it’s a lot of fun; you hear amazing ideas and speeches. The kids really take over the whole city that day.”
Bettencourt said Student Government Day is an experience that students will remember for years to come.
“This year’s group, especially with all the pandemic-related uncertainty, will hopefully look back very fondly at this experience,” he said.
“I am so happy that this tradition continues after all these years,” added Walsh.
