The recent presidential election was hot and heavy with controversy, angst, and in the end either elation or misery for many. It was an especially divisive election that strained friendships and families.
It’s a different story over at the William Floyd School District (WFSD) where the students are learning a different way of being. They are learning that government and governance are different things than politics. They are learning that you can disagree with another person and still like them. And, more importantly, they are learning that you can engage in respectful discourse and even learn a little from someone you think is “wrong-headed”.
The students are learning that outside of politics, the government affects so many things like school budgets, parks, potholes, and even what can be in your dish soap.
The South Shore Press spoke to both a student, a senior at William Floyd High School, Olivia Phillips, and Louis Zederbaum, Chairman of the Social Studies Department for the district, about how the District goes about teaching thinking about and involvement in community processes and how they want to be involved. Our in-depth interview with Louis Zederbaum appears in a separate article.
Zederbaum explained that there was a big step up in the programming around this topic when WFSD was one of two schools in Long Island to be in the pilot program for the state’s Seal of Civic Readiness
Olivia Phillips is engaged in just about everything from being the Girl Scout cookie-selling champion when she was a Brownie to now, where she is Governor of NYS Youth and Government and President of WFHS Student Government.
When asked what she would tell a younger student about how to get involved Phillips said, “First of all, once you hit middle school and high school, definitely join any club you can.”
Phillips said that she and the other students learn that “in personal relationships and certainly in government, that even though you might feel strongly that you're right on an issue, the truth of the matter is that almost always there's somebody that feels equally strongly on the other side” and you have to learn how to listen and see other points of view and not just think that the other person is bad.
“I think a lot of people are scared to have some conversations because they don't want to say their opinion and make someone else mad or make someone else angry. But, you know, different opinions are great. This country was built on different opinions. You have to just talk to the other side to see what they're about,” said Phillips.
Phillips offered, “At the end of the day, college applications are great but joining things is what gets you involved and learning. And, even join something that doesn’t immediately interest you to expand your horizons. Initially, I joined the government club because my history teacher gave me extra credit if I went to the first meeting. It turned out I really liked it.”
“I would also say take a step out of your comfort zone because once you do take that step, you'll realize that you can take another step and another step. You'll realize that you can grow very quickly when you continue to challenge yourself and make yourself uncomfortable.”
Phillips concluded, “You'll eventually get comfortable in that space and then you can move on to really become the best version of yourself. Even though high school is only four years, I've definitely grown exponentially from when I was in ninth grade.”