Students See Government at Work

More than 250 students attended the Claremont City Council meeting Tuesday. Why the large turnout? It was part of Youth and Government Day for Claremont and San Antonio high schools.

Seniors from government and economics classes were required to attend the two-hour meeting. Some sat in cliques. Some talked with friends. Others asked the council questions about the conditions of city roads and youth activities.

Councilwoman Diann Ring said she wanted students to attend the meeting because they should become more aware of local government.

“Most of these kids are going to be voters,” she said. “This is where you can really make a difference. The youth brought it to our attention that the most under-served group in the city are the youth.”

The meeting started at 1 p.m., during the fifth period. Many students left to attend their last class before the meeting was over.

One of the few who stayed to the end was Aytek Celik, 16, who had never attended a City Council meeting. She said she stayed because she was interested to see what happens at the meetings.

“I wanted to see how they deal with the formal procedures,” she said. “It gives the students insight to see what happens.”

Celik, who said she may go into politics as a career, said she was more interested in international politics.

But, “you have to start somewhere,” she said.

This was the second year high school students attended the meeting. Council members hope to make it an annual event.