High school students brainstorm solutions at Hofstra conference

Most of the nearly 100 Long Island high school students who gathered for an issues convention at Hofstra University Thursday were too young to vote, but they still had ideas about how to reform government.

Change up the schedule of Election Day. Raise awareness of the impact of legislative redistricting. Find different ways to register voters. Review the use of the Electoral College.

Those were some of the ideas discussed and debated as part of the Renew New York High School Convention, which also focused on state issues such as state funding of education and judicial appointments and compensation.

"It's exciting," said Hallie Carrino, 17, a West Islip High School senior. "It allows us to hear different ideas."

Students broke into teams, and each team presented reform proposals to a group of experts from government, media and the university, including Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray. The participants were from nine high schools in Nassau and Suffolk, and the conference was moderated by three Hofstra professors.

It kicked off with a keynote address by former state Sen. Michael Balboni, who urged students to get involved in the political process.

Balboni said while there is much cynicism about politics these days, the students at the conference are the "audience that should be hopeful."

"Everybody dismisses politics and government, yet politics and government can provide plentiful opportunities," he said. "You can really make a change."

Hicksville High School student Prateek Kohli, 17, has already taken these steps. He has interned for two years for state Sen. Craig Johnson (D-Port Washington) and would like to pursue a career in politics.

"This is a great way to expose ourselves to politics," Kohli said, adding he would like to serve in the State Senate one day. He promised not to be swayed by special-interest groups. "It should be about the people."

The daylong convention - "Considering New York's Structures and Challenges" - was part of a partnership among News 12 Long Island, Newsday and Hofstra. It also included students who spent several weeks focusing on major issues and conducting independent research as Summer Fellows.

"I've become more politically aware," Carrino said, adding she wants to major in political science.

Miranda Cawley, 16, a junior from West Islip, said although students may be labeled as cynical about government, that does not mean they are disillusioned with the process.

"People want to do something to change what's going on," she said.

And Tyran Melong, 17, of Uniondale, said the issues conference should target not only students, but include adults as well. "It really opened a lot of eyes," he said.