Four CASH seniors participate in state Senate hearing in Downingtown
Updated at 3 p.m. to add reaction from state Sen. Andy Dinniman
CASH seniors (from left) Henok Abraham, Hunter Mountain, Lake Greene and Taylor Chesnet participated in a state Senate committee hearing on education Thursday in Downingtown.
Four Coatesville Area Senior High School seniors participated in a hearing on Thursday hosted by the Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee.
Henok Abraham, Hunter Mountain, Lake Greene and Taylor Chesnet joined a group that included students from Downingtown, Collegium, and Bishop Shanahan, to discuss their educational experiences.
The event, which was held at Downingtown’s S.T.E.M. Academy, marked the first time the committee had organized a hearing focused on students’ views, opinions, and outlooks on their schools and education in general, State Sen. Andy Dinniman said in a news release announcing the forum, one of many that will be held across the state.
Jonette Marcus, a school district spokeswoman, said the students were chosen based on criteria submitted by Dinniman, who wanted a cross-section representative of the student body, taking into account factors such as background, gender and activities. She said the students received a list of questions in advance so they knew what to expect. The questions ranged from queries about standardized tests to school security to spending cuts.
State Sen. Mike Folmer, majority chair of the committee, asked S.T.E.M.’s Shila Scott how she defined success; she responded, “being the best that you can be.” Marcus said the experience encouraged students to do just that, adding that the teens appreciated being valued as a resource for information and insight.
Dinniman, who serves as minority chair of the Senate Education Committee, said that he worked with Folmer to organize the hearing as an opportunity to hear from those most affected by legislative decisions in Harrisburg – the students. He said he and his colleagues were pleased with the results.
“My fellow senators and I felt that the students provided exactly what we were looking for – honest and candid views on some of the most important questions currently facing the committee,” Dinniman said. “They offered refreshing and at times, eye-opening, perspectives on everything from standardized testing, to teacher evaluations, effective teaching methods and the importance of art and music electives.”
