The future of Allegheny-Kiski Valley politics might be sitting in a Freeport Area High School classroom.
Teacher Mark Wyant is hopeful that’s the case as seniors in his honors government class explore how the democratic process works throughout the school year.
“Maybe in national politics we’ve hit a political inertia, but still at the local level things get done,” he said. “And things get done that impact you and me more so than national politics. That’s why we do it.”
Students have a project each grading period. The first was to attend a municipal meeting. Next nine weeks will include attending a school board meeting. The third will have students go to an Armstrong County Commissioners’ meeting, and the fourth may have students take a trip to Harrisburg to see how the state House or Senate operates.
Each semester, students write papers with a summary of their experience. They try to answer the question of whether they would participate in what Wyant called “the grand experiment: a participatory democracy.”
The class sat in on a Buffalo Township supervisors meeting earlier this month.
They saw how elected leaders addressed various topics including stormwater management issues impacting residents.
Students asked questions during and after the meeting.
“I learned a lot of different things about how they come to conclusions regarding problems,” senior Rachel Heeter said. “I enjoyed it. I thought it was very interesting to learn and to watch up front.”
Senior Autumn Franks took interest in the stormwater discussion. She was surprised by what was deemed private property matters and could not be addressed by the township.
“I thought it was interesting that the township can’t help everybody,” she said. “(What) I thought local government (does) is that they help everyone, but they can’t fix everything for everybody. They have to decide what is within their jurisdiction.”
Autumn said she plans on entering the chemical engineering field, and anticipates sitting in on various government meetings as a result.
Other students couldn’t say if they would seek elected office, but all agreed the time was well-spent.
Rachel called the government class very intellectual, difficult but overall fun.
Buffalo Township supervisor’s chairman Ron Zampogna III met with the students after the meeting and commended the young learners on their preparedness.
“They had us going up there for a little bit, but it’s great that the students come and get to see what happens at a meeting,” he said. “I think we see a different group every year. It’s a great experience for them, and it’s good for us to entertain their questions.
“I think it’s very important to start at an early age and get an understanding of what goes on. Maybe they’ll want to take my seat someday, hopefully.”
Wyant has taught in the district 34 years with the honors government course a part of about 30 of them.
He said the current class is very passionate and eager to learn about how their communities, school district and country operate.
“I love each and every one of them,” Wyant said. “I couldn’t ask for nicer kids. Hard workers, salt of the earth.
“I don’t worry about the future because I know the caliber of students I have at Freeport, and I feel good about the future not only for this area but the country if these kids get involved.”
Wyant also believes that the younger generation needs to get involved in their local governments now more than ever.
“In today’s day an age, with the polarization and divisiveness, it is incumbent upon students to understand the democratic process,” he said. “It is a process of engagement, and a process of listening to each other and coming up with compromises. We all can’t get our own way.
“Informed citizens can sit down, engage in discussion and debate, respect each other and come to some common ground and push forward for progress in society.
“Democracy can be functional.”