By Andrew Hackmack
Children were able to gain an understanding about the inner workings of government and learn about New York state history.
Alfano's Mentors and Leaders Programs brings students from District 13 to Albany each year. Students got to visit the state's assembly chambers and sit in the same room where laws are made. Dever fifth-grader Alyssa Lombardi said it was a big room with a lot of desks and chairs. There were three buttons on each desk -- Yea, No and Abstain -- used for when bills are voted on.
The children even got to have a mock debate in the assembly chamber. The choice was homework, or no homework. "No homework won," Dever Principal Darren Gruen said. "I was the governor and the governor gets to veto a bill."
Alfano and the children discussed current events and local issues including traffic on Dutch Broadway and the planned new playground at Dever, which will be funded through a grant from the assemblyman. "We built a wonderful playground at Willow Road School and now it's Dever's turn," Alfano said.
While meeting with Alfano, the children were also greeted by state Sen. Dean Skelos. Sabrina D'Aulisa said she learned about the role that Alfano, Skelos and their counterparts play at the state Capitol. "We get all of our laws from the the people in that building," she said.
Rebecca Foglia said she didn't realize how large the assembly is -- it has 150 members representing every area of New York state.
After spending some time in the assembly chamber, students took a tour of the Capitol. Patrick Kearney said he was intrigued by the ceiling murals which depict wars that helped shape the history of New York state.
At the New York State Museum, the children got to see a variety of exhibits. Kearney said he was interested in the Sept. 11 artifacts which included a fire truck that was heavily damaged in the attacks and the landing gear from one of the airplanes.
Jake Catalano noted that there is a computer in which one can search anyone who died on Sept. 11 and learn more about that person. Overall, he said, it was interesting to see all sorts of items that are from the Ground Zero site.
Kearney explained that he and his classmates didn't understand a lot about the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, so viewing the exhibit really opened their eyes. "We were only 3 when it actually happened," he said.
Lombardi said she liked an exhibit of antique fire trucks. She learned how much fire engines have evolved -- and how big they've grown -- over time. "The old ones didn't even have lights," she said.
Rahul Kalushal said he liked seeing an old-fashioned subway car.
Gruen said the students spent about six hours in Albany. "For many of them, it was their first trip to the state capital," he said, "and for most of them it was their first opportunity to see where the government works and where their state legislators work from."
He noted that New York state history is part of the fourth-grade curriculum, so visiting the capital in fifth-grade is a good follow-up lesson. Gruen said that Alfano stressed to the students that he is elected to help them, their parents and their neighbors.
Alfano said the program is intended to focus on the traits of good leadership. "I was very proud of the students and their interest in making a difference in the community," he said. "They are our next generation of leaders."
