When Skyline students Allison Lang and Talia Dessel began their internship with Pittsfield Township March 19, they probably didn’t guess that their work would play a small role in international relations.
On the very first day of their internship, the students presented their plan for their work to Pittsfield Township trustees –and also to Ukranian delegates.
The six travelers work in the Ukrainian government and represented six of the country’s 27 regions. They arrived in Pittsfield on March 15 as part of a congressional program that encourages administrators in other countries to learn about American government. They began their journey in Washington, D.C., and they happened to be in Pittsfield on the day of the students’ presentation.
Alan Israel, the township clerk, explained that the students’ work was part of a public partnership between Pittsfield and Skyline High School.
The students, seniors in the Communications, Media and Public Policy magnet, presented a video of a recent trustee meeting that they filmed and edited. For the rest of their internship, they will research youth voting attitudes in Pittsfield and create a PSA that tells young people how to register to vote.
The delegates, impressed by the students’ presentation, asked them questions about their work as well as about their lives as young Americans. They presented the girls with small gifts of chocolate and two miniature ceremonial maces, an official symbol of Ukraine.
The visitors were:
- Lyubov Ivanivna Dendeberya, Manager of Executive Committee in the Pavlohrad Region Council
- Oleksandr Pavlovych Voznyy, Head of Department for Housing and Communal Facilities in the Tetiiv District State Administration
- Roman Serhiyovych Veprytskyy, Deputy Chair of the Zhovtnevyy Municipal District Council
- Vasyl Mykhaylovych Shchur, Head of the Mizhgirska Village Council
- Yuriy Leontiyovych Kudatskyy, Chief Administrative Officer of the Stara Vyzhivka Provincial District Administration
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Well done.
Voting in the next election is more important than ever, and it is so appropriate for first time voters to shape the message for other potential first time voters. Brava!
(How is Ukranian chocolate?)