8th Graders Take Over Little Silver

Last week, I had the pleasure of participating in Little Silver's Student Government Day.  The entire 8th grade class from Markham Place School (dressed in business casual) was invited to replace the town officials during the morning of May 8, 2013.   

During a brief organizational meeting held in the Court Room at Boro Hall, the Honorable Robert C. Neff, Jr., Mayor of Little Silver, appointed students to boards, councils, commissions and committees.  The newly designated officials then broke up into their respective smaller groups, meeting with those relevant townspeople currently keeping Little Silver up and running.  

As a member of the Environmental Commission (EC), I had the pleasure of spending time with four poised students.  After discussing our town’s Environmental Resource Inventory (ERI), reviewing some recent planning documents, outlining what the EC has accomplished in the past few years and finding familiar spots (and new nature trails) on the large aerial map at Boro Hall, we took a quick walk outdoors to Memorial Gardens, pointing out composters, recycling bins and local streams along the way.    

Our small group and the other individual committees then reconvened in the court room.  Student representatives from each segment of the government spoke to all of their classmates, summarizing what they had learned in the past hour or so. 

I think this was a wonderful opportunity for these students.  They learned firsthand what it takes to run a small town, were exposed to the role of both paid and volunteer staff and had to concisely present newly learned information to the entire Markham class of 2013.

As the students walked back to Markham Place School (just in time to be drenched with rain),  I reflected back and thought how fortunate we all are to be a part of not just this unique day but part of the Little Silver community at large. 

Thanks go out to all who made the day possible!