ANAHEIM : Student Tag-Alongs Watch City Function

Stephanie Rodriguez, a senior at Anaheim High School, is shunning dual beliefs that youngsters who participate in student government are nerds and that women do not belong in the upper echelons of city administration.

Dressed in a trendy, purple, short pantsuit, with matching near-neon purple stockings, she joined her counterpart for the day--City Atty. Jack L. White--to learn his trade.

Rodriguez was one of nearly 80 high school students who descended on City Hall on Wednesday for the 11th annual Youth in Government conference.

Students who participate in the program trail city administrators for a day, learning their jobs, then hold a mock city council meeting.

“It seemed like it was an opportunity to meet city leaders,” said Rodriguez, who someday hopes to hold White’s job in Anaheim.

Senior Chris Darden, who held down the watch commander’s post at the Police Department with Lt. Ray Welch, agreed.

“Since we live here, it’s fun to see stuff that’s actually happening here in our community,” Darden said.

The students, many from honor classes, become involved in Youth in Government like any other club on campus.

This year’s theme was environmental awareness. Aside from learning the various functions of city offices, the students discussed how each department was addressing environmental concerns. City offices, for example, participate in Recycle Anaheim, a citywide trash program.

As part of the Youth in Government program, each student department chief reported on his department’s environmental efforts to the mock city council at an afternoon session.

Michael Lee trailed Anaheim Councilman Irv Pickler. “It was around what I had expected,” said Lee, a Servite High senior. “It was pretty interesting.”

His friend, Maura Johnston, a senior at Connelly, said the mock council was composed only of men, as is the real Anaheim City Council. But she added: “It’s kind of funny, (considering) that the Youth of the Year were both women.”

Johnston was referring to Katella High’s Janet Jo and Magnolia High’s Jennifer Martin, who as co-Youth of the Year selections received scholarships from the Anaheim Evening Lions Club.

Many students said they were impressed by Mayor Fred Hunter’s uplifting and encouraging speech, which lauded his student companion for the day: David Aleman, an Anaheim High senior.

Aleman, who ran unsuccessfully for mayor last year, is school president and a track team member and works 40 hours a week serving burgers at a nearby McDonald’s.

Aleman said he is glad that the environment was chosen as this year’s theme: “It’s great this topic came up. For this generation to have something to say on an important issue like this is really good.”