SAUGUS — During the citizens’ comment portion of a Board of Selectmen meeting, Precinct 2 Town Meeting member Matthew Parlante asked the board to help bring Student Government Day back.
Section 901.00 of the town’s bylaws requires that an annual Student Government Day be held in April or May.
As the bylaw states that the chairman of the Board of Selectmen is, in part, responsible for designating the day on which it is held, Chairman Debra Panetta responded to Parlante. She said that Student Government Day is held through a partnership between the Saugus Business Education Collaborative, the town’s government, and the school district.
“I believe the last time we had one was May of 2019, and it was incredibly, incredibly successful,” Panetta said.
After the last Student Government Day, Panetta said that she reached out to the schools as a member of the SBEC to see if a teacher would be interested in helping with the next annual event.
“Unfortunately, we did not have a teacher step up and want to be part of that at that time,” Panetta said.
Panetta said that board is willing and enthusiastic to bring Student Government Day back.
She said that at the last Student Government Day, students were elected to serve as mock chairman and mock vice chairman, after which a mock Board of Selectmen meeting was held. Participants asked the elected students questions that could come up during Board of Selectmen meetings. She added that a donated lunch was also provided.
“It was great,” Panetta said. “I would love to bring it back.”
Panetta said that the event is a lot of work to put together, but once it finally happens, it is terrific.
She added that the COVID-19 pandemic likely made the event more difficult to hold, but that after speaking with Saugus Middle/High School Principal Brendon Sullivan, they appear to be aligned in their interest in bringing the event back in the future.
“The SBEC is on it and hopefully we can have one for next May,” Panetta said.
Parlante said that he appreciated Panetta’s enthusiasm and willingness to see the event through.
“I think it’s super important to have kids understand government, have kids understand how things work, and to get involved,” Parlante said.
