Glenn Thompson: “Last week, I congratulated St. Marys Area High School student Michelle Bauer on winning first place in the 34th annual…”

“Last week, I congratulated St. Marys Area High School student Michelle Bauer on winning first place in the 34th annual Pennsylvania Municipal League high school essay contest. Participants were asked to reflect on the theme ``Civics and You'' by writing about opportunities in their community that allow for civic engagement and encourage citizens to volunteer to help with local challenges. Today, I would like to share a portion of Michelle's essay: ``When I hear the word `civic,' I think of governmental duties. I understand my duty as an American citizen to vote, obey laws, pay taxes, and serve on juries. These activities all involve one person: yourself. In reality, our civic engagement as Americans expands beyond a single individual and encompasses entire communities. The definition of a civic engagement is an activity that includes both paid and unpaid forms of political activism, environmentalism, and service. As I look at my community, it is apparent that we have a lot of civic engagements. ``As with most towns, mine has a city council that holds meetings and elections for positions on the council. These elections are open to every member of the city and are an excellent way for citizens to have a say in the politics of the town. Just as the elections are open to all citizens so are the weekly meetings. A unique feature about my town's council meetings is that they are televised on a local channel.…”