Nurturing future political leaders
Program encourages women to enter politics
BY KIMBERLY STEINBERG Staff Writer
Female high school students got handson experience in the political process last week with women who hold public office as their mentors.

PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Students listen to remarks by Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School Board of Education member Eileen Higgins (far left) during the Running and Winning workshop held at Monmouth Regional High School in Tinton Falls May 1. Left: Elizabeth Corcoran, Marine Academy of Science and Technology (l-r), Chelsea Watts, Shore Regional, and Jamie Wassel, Rumson-Fair Haven, listen to a talk by Janice Fuller (not pictured), director of cabinet affairs in the Office of the Governor.

"Women are under-represented in lawmaking bodies and in many elected offices, even though we make up a bit more than half the population," said Marian Wattenbarger, co-chair of the third annual Running and Winning workshop.

"We hope that after today you will consider running for office yourself someday," Wattenbarger told the more than 60 female high school juniors from 13 school districts who converged at Monmouth Regional High School in Tinton Falls to participate in the workshop May 1.

The Running and Winning program is designed to introduce young women to the political process by providing them with access to over a dozen women who serve as elected officials on the municipal, county and state levels.

Running and Winning was initiated by the Greater Red Bank Area Chapter of the League of Women Voters (GRBA-LWV) in 2007 and is now sponsored by the chapter in conjunction with the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Hadassah, the Monmouth County Regional Women's Political Caucus and the Junior League of Monmouth County.

During the day's sessions, women who hold political office acted as mentors to the students, who had the opportunity to interview the women and directly learn from their experiences.

According to Co-Chairs Bobbie Goldstein, of the GRBA-LWV, and Wattenbarger, of the AAUW, the goal of the program is to encourage the young women to consider public service and political participation as important goals in their adult lives.

"One of the most important parts of Running and Winning is the collaboration and cooperation between the women and the students. That is what we are modeling. The focus is on the students with the message that women can be powerful and effective when they work together," said Wattenbarger.

She emphasized that the elected officials are representative of all political parties, including independents, in the spirit of non-partisanship.

Officials participating in the event included Monmouth County officials Clerk M. Claire French; Sheriff Kim Guadagno; Surrogate Rosemarie Peters; Freeholder Director Barbara McMorrow; and FreeholderAmy Mallet; Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande (R-12th District); Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini (R- 11th District); Little Silver Mayor Suzanne E. Castleman; former mayor of Tinton Falls Ann McNamara; Red Bank Councilwoman Sharon Lee; a representative of the Governor's Office and several members of local Boards of Education.

Participating students were nominated by their teachers to be part of the program from high schools including Red Bank Regional; Rumson-Fair Haven Regional; Monmouth Regional; Shore Regional; Keyport; Long Branch and Middletown North and South.

The women in government discussed their reasons for running for office with the students.

Guadagno, who is the 75th sheriff in Monmouth County and the first woman, said her first experience in government was winning election for council. She followed that success by winning an election for the sheriff's position.

"My mother was my role model. She told my sister and me to be active and take charge of the opportunities that we see. Girls have to be brave enough to see opportunities and take charge," said the former assistant U.S. attorney.

"I realized that you need to stand up or shut up," explained Guadagno of her reason to become politically active.

Casagrande said she is the youngest female in the state Legislature and is also active in "Ready to Run" at Rutgers University, an organization that also encourages women to become involved in politics.

"I never miss an opportunity to get in front of a group of young women. I tell them that they need to take on the responsibility of changing things," said Casagrande.

"I always make myself assessable as mayor. It's a 24/7 commitment for me," said Castleman, who said she even puts her home phone number in the newsletters she issues to the public.

"It's a challenge and you definitely can't please everybody, but you do the best that you can," Castleman said.

In a group discussion, Mallet told students, "It's my third year here, but my first as an elected official."

"You have to stay very organized. Balance in life is important. I juggle being a business owner, wife, mother and elected official, but I'm a woman, and we can multi-task."

Students, too, spoke about their involvement in their high school's government.

Lucy Humphreys and Janie Wassel, of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional, are active in their school's government. Humphreys is class treasurer and will run for the same office as a senior. Wassel is vice president of the junior class.

"I ran because I wanted to have a greater responsibility to my class," Humphreys said.

"I love being part of the school and school spirit. I'm on a bunch of different boards and I help to raise money." Wassel said.A

llison Fingado, of Red Bank Regional, said that she is part of her school's government organizations.

"Everyone has something to say. It's important to get multiple ideas across and I'm confident representing them. My teachers and advisors have been my role models," said Fingado.

When asked about the possibility of a woman becoming president, Fingado replied: "We develop more and more every year. We're ready for it."

Middletown North student Emily Scharen is a member of her school's council.

"I'm very opinionated. I'm very prolife. I've always attended the March for Life in D.C. and I'm not afraid to voice my opinion." Scharen said.

Clarise Armantrading, of Long Branch High School, said, "[Gov. Jon] Corzine is my role model. He's not trying to be anyone's friend. He's doing what he feels is right."

Alexis Briscuso, of Middletown South, said she enjoys and follows politics.

"I feel as if it's plausible for a woman to become president," she said.

The students impressed McNamara, who said joining the League of Women Voters encouraged her to become involved in local government.

The topic of the workshop this year was immigration — legal and illegal. In the afternoon session, the students broke into groups of four. Each group's facilitator discussed the topic and summarized pros and cons of instituting new immigration legislation or keeping what is in place. Each student in the group took on a role: candidate for the U.S. Senate, speechwriter, publicist, or campaign manager. The groups came up with campaign slogans, signs representing the candidates' position, and the candidate herself presented a speech.

"As a professional journalist, publicist, and veteran of several political campaigns, I was amazed at the quality and strength of the campaign slogans in particular, which in my opinion would stand up to professional scrutiny," said Lori Anne Oliwa, Middletown, a member of the Running and Winning steering committee and a founding member of the Monmouth County Regional Women's Political Caucus.