Fitchburg High School senior Skyleigh LaRose sat in the front row of the auditorium and listened intently, as City CouncilorsAmy Green and Samantha Squailia talked to students in teacher K. Courtney Franklin’s Women and Gender Studies class.
“They are very inspirational and very well-spoken,” LaRose said.
Green and Squailia – Women in Politics guest speakers on Wednesday morning – were open and honest when fielding a plethora of questions, ranging from why they got into politics to juggling a work-life balance and how they can better serve the youth in the city.
“My goal was for the students to see who is involved in making the decisions that affect their town,” Franklin said, “and how they could get involved in bringing about the change they would like to see in Fitchburg. I think the candid response of both Amy and Sam that they need input from the students on what ideas they have was an opportunity to get involved in their community.”
All in all, it was a tremendous success, said Fitchburg Public Schools K-12 Social Studies Director, John Maderosian.
“I’d like to congratulate K. Courtney Franklin and thank her for her efforts to singlehandedly plan and facilitate this panel discussion,” Maderosian said. “Students were engaged and asked some really important questions to the two city councilors, who gave their time to come and speak with our students. Although K. Courtney Franklin is new to the Fitchburg Public Schools, she has been willing to jump right in with both feet and work to create more educational opportunities for students, which includes developing a Women and Gender Studies elective course from scratch. I’m so thankful that she accepted a position and is now part of the FPS family.”
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FITCHBURG PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE NEWS 