LYNN — Droves of Lynn high school students made their way to City Hall Tuesday to see how a city government operates.
Selected senior students at all the city’s high schools were given the opportunity to interact with school committee members and city officials.
At 9 a.m., the students gathered in the City Council chambers, where they were welcomed by Mayor Jared Nicholson, Economic Development and Industrial Corporation Executive Director Jim Cowdell, City Council President Jay Walsh, Interim Superintendent of Schools Debra Ruggiero, and Superintendent Designee Dr. Evonne Alvarez.
Lynn District Court First Justice Ina Howard Hogan also greeted the students, encouraging them to use their upbringings and unique personalities to make a difference down the road.
“You are prizes coming from the city,” Howard Hogan said. “The uniqueness that you bring to any opportunity, the diversity that you bring to the city, how you grew up, the way you look at things, you are a prize to any employer.”
The students then walked downstairs to the Lynn Auditorium, where Leftfield Director of Corporate Interiors Linda Liporto presented on American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) spending.
Liporto ran the students through the budgets, construction, and timelines of the city’s ARPA-funded parks and fields projects at Breed Middle School, Lynn Woods Elementary, Gallagher and McManus fields, and Kiley and Keaney parks.
Later in the day, the students returned to the City Council chambers to debate a number of topics, such as how each one would use $1 million to improve the city. Nicholson thanked the city staff, including his office, and all of the volunteers who dedicated their day toward the students
“Student Government Day is a long-standing tradition enjoyed by both our city staff and Lynn’s students,” Nicholson said. “It is always a great opportunity to watch our students participate in such an immersive experience that empowers their voices, drives them to be civically engaged, and provides firsthand exposure to local government through educational activities.”
