Two hundred of the state’s top Hispanic students will travel to Albany this weekend for a firsthand look at the state legislative process. Students will meet with members of the New York State Legislature, New York State Assembly/Senate Puerto Rican and Hispanic Task Force, and the New York State Education Department as part of the annual Angelo Del Toro Puerto Rican/Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute (PR/HYLI).
Twelve student delegations from across the state will participate in a mock legislative session in the New York State Assembly chambers. Students will debate actual bills that reflect key issues in their communities. The three-day program, beginning Friday March 20th will also include team-building exercises, college and career development workshops, a youth forum with state legislators, and a student recognition dinner where scholarship winners will be announced.
To prepare for the event, all four of Whitman’s senior students participated in training sessions where they identified and researched local issues, studied the state legislative process, and learned the parliamentary process. Local Assemblymen Chad Lupinacci and Philip Ramos worked with the students so that they would be better prepared to actively participate in discussions about various bills in front of more than 200 other students from around the State. Students Daniel Reyes and Cesia Deras were selected to travel to Albany and the two alternates, Sindy Reyes Diaz and Katy Molina Jimenez, who attended all of the training sessions, are prepared to represent Walt Whitman if necessary.
The students will be in Albany this coming weekend with their Walt Whitman teachers/advisors Ms. Barbara Haik and Mr. Luigi Capizzano. We look forward to talking with our students when they return so they may share their experience.
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