Politics & Government

PHOTOS: Teens Take Over Little Silver for the Day

Markham Place's annual Student Government Day gave students a taste of how Little Silver works.

mayor and council were looking a little younger on Wednesday morning, and it had nothing to do with new moisturizers or Botox.

eighth grade students participated in the annual Student Government Day, when, for a few hours, each student was appointed to fill a spot on the borough's many committees and departments to get a feel for the inner workings of a small town.

Little Silver Mayor Robert Neff, Jr. swore in student mayor John Salcedo and his classmates to fill the borough's council and administrator spots and then the new mayor appointed the rest of the grade to positions like librarian, tax collector and the planning board member.

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"All these organizations work together for the benefit of the town," Neff explained to the students seated in the borough's courtroom.

The day was kicked off with a dedication ceremony for Little Silver's long time with remembrances by the district's superintendent, Neff and Markham history teacher B.J. Olsen as well as performances by the school's choir. The school planted a Weeping American Redbud tree in the late mayor's honor but the rain prevented the ceremony from taking place outside for all to see.

Find out what's happening in Little Silver-Oceanportwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Following the swearing in, students scattered to various parts of borough hall, the Little Silver Library and the firehouse to meet with their real life counterparts and learn a little bit about their new, albeit temporary, positions.

"It's nice to have students take over," Neff joked. "We need a break every once in a while."


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