State senator visits Sparta HS class

Sparta — On Friday, Jan. 19, NJ State Sen. Steve Oroho (R-Sussex) came to Sparta High School to talk about his role in state politics to students enrolled in the Advanced Placement Government and Politics class taught by Emily Scott. In discussing the job of a state senator with the students, Oroho said that he had never really thought of entering politics until he became disenchanted with his previous work life. He was drawn in at the local level first, serving on the town council in Franklin, NJ. That experience sparked his interest in further serving his community and he ran for the state Senate seat that he now holds.
The students were engaged in discussing political issues, the processes of the state legislature, how campaigning works, and why the senator continues to serve at the state level.
According to senior Fiona Hynes, she liked that he, "was definitely a person and not a politician. He doesn't have the same political views as I do but I wouldn't discount him as a candidate because of his principles and values."
Reflecting on the discussion with the lawmaker, senior Jenna Ryan said, "Oroho did a great job of explaining his job to us and the legislative branch's impact on state politics."
According to the AP Government and Politics teacher, Emily Scott, "We really appreciate Oroho taking the time out of his day to come to speak to us. Americans tend to be focused on federal politics, often ignoring state and local politics. As the senator pointed out, at the state level he can affect real change for his constituents. This is a topic we come back to in class over and over again especially when assessing voter trends as well as apathy."
Oroho said he feels that he can really make positive changes for the people of New Jersey and specifically for those who live in Legislative District 24 that he represents. He just won re-election to the seat in November, 2017.