AHS 1st Amendment 1st Vote presents project at state conference
1st Amendment 1st Vote students from Auburn High School recently attended the annual overnight summit in Rochester, presenting their community action program in front of over 150 students from around New York state.
1st Amendment 1st Vote is a non-partisan, civic engagement and leadership development seminar for female students. 1st Amendment 1st Vote is in the process of merging with nationally recognized Running Start, a nonpartisan nonprofit program that encourages and trains young women to run for political office.
Students worked on campaign simulations, met legislators, and presented their community action program that they developed over the course of the year.
The students who participated in the plan include: Zoey Cammillieri, Zoey Stebbins, Isabella Patane, Ella Salvage, Ella Blanchfield, Keyanna Overstreet, Camarya Herndon, Makayla Hutchinson, Gabby Smith, Brianna Crossley, Nazzera White.
The goal is to promote confidence, develop capabilities and connections to run for office. This year's summit included guest speaker Aslaug Arna Sigurbjornsdottir, an Icelandic lawyer and current member of Iceland's parliament. Students were mesmerized with her fearlessness at such a young age and inspired by the fact that at the age of 35, she went back to school to work on her master's degree at Columbia University in New York.
Auburn High School students shared their community action program, which was a Kindness Campaign. The Kindness Campaign aimed to spread positivity amongst at Auburn High School and with 6th-grade students in the district’s five elementary schools.
Auburn High School students have participated in 1st Amendment 1st Vote for the past seven years and have created community action plans that have impacted many in the community. Over the years, student projects have included a food pantry, hygiene kits for the junior high, the Winter Warm-Up campaign for Genesee Elementary School, voter registration campaigns, and more. 1st Amendment 1st Vote continues to have a positive impact on our students and community because of encouragement from AHS Principal Brian Morgan, Superintendent Dr. Misty Slavic, and our Board of Education.
