A proposal to create a Stewart’s Shops Student Discount Card presented by Columbia High School students Finn Jordan ’26, Connor Reynolds ’26 and Carson Wasbes ’26 won the school’s Legislative Lobby Day on Wednesday.
Columbia High School Participation in Government classes hosted their Legislative Lobby Day on Wednesday in the school auditorium with students presenting their bills to classmates and teachers.
Projects were developed by the students and included ones specific to the East Greenbush Central School District, such as adding American Sign Language to high school instruction, and federal laws such as a ban on assault weapons.
The winning project, voted on by students, was a proposal to create Student Discount Cards for Stewart’s Shops. The proposal was presented by Finn Jordan ’26, Connor Reynolds ’26 and Carson Wasbes ’26.
A Day of Civic Engagement
Hosted in the school auditorium by Participation in Government classes, Legislative Lobby Day challenged seniors to research, draft, and defend bills to their peers. While the Stewart’s proposal took the top prize, the event featured a wide range of advocacy topics, including:
- Stewart’s Student Discount Cards – Finn Jordan, Connor Reynolds and Carson Wasbes
- Ban Assault Weapons in the U.S. – Ty Baron, Kyle Carey and Pablo Flores
- Core Development – Josh Belizaire, Zachariah Cecunjanin, Dillon Hulsopple and Sebastian Tenempaquay
- Teaching Students the Significance of the Trades – Helen Ketzer and Zachary Sanford
- Open Campus – Sophia Galligan and Hayaa Shah
- American Sign Language Instruction in High Schools – Mason Burke, Julia Shatraw and Josh Trop
State Legislators Speak with Students
To start Legislative Day, students had the opportunity to hear from two members of the New York State legislature – Senator Jake Ashby and Assemblymember John McDonald.
Senator Ashby and Assemblymember McDonald, who both represent the East Greenbush CSD, discussed their work as legislators and how they serve constituents. They also answered questions from students about what they enjoy about their work, what they like to do in their free time, and advice they would have for young people.
About Participation in Government
Participation in Government is a required course for all seniors at Columbia High School. Students examine government, the interaction between citizens and government at the local, state, and national levels, and they develop skills that encourage lifelong participation in the process of government.
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