Handlin to judge essay contest for eighth-graders Assemblywoman Amy Handlin (R-Monmouth/Middlesex) has announced a three-part spring series on ethics to kick off with an eighth-grade essay contest, "What Good Government Means to Me," which she is sponsoring in conjunction with Greater Media Newspapers. Eighth grades from six school districts will be participating. This project aims to encourage students to think about the critical importance of honesty and ethics in public life. "This is a wonderful way to encourage students to think about their role in government and the important contributions they can make in public service," Handlin said in a press release. The author of the winning essay will have the unique opportunity to serve as an "assemblyperson" for a day. He or she will travel to Trenton for a voting session, meet legislative leaders, and sit next to Assemblywoman Handlin on the floor of the General Assembly while she debates and votes on legislation. The winner and his or her family will also receive a personalized tour of the State House to learn more about New Jersey's capital building and how it operates. The winning essay will also be considered for publication in Greater Media newspapers, the owner of the Independent. "I'm pleased that Greater Media Newspapers is associated with such a worthwhile project, and am excited to read the essays. It's never too early to get young people interested in their government, and I hope this contest will have our young writers thinking in new ways and learning as they go along," said Greg Bean, executive editor of Greater Media Newspapers. For part two of her spring ethics series, Assemblywoman Handlin will be hosting a press conference in Trenton on April 12 to announce a mandatory ethics training bill package. Part three of the spring series will be a June 15 ethics symposium, which the assemblywoman is co-sponsoring with Brookdale Community College, Middletown. The symposium will provide ethics training to all municipal, elected and appointed officials in the 13th Legislative District. "I hope that this symposium will serve as a model for other districts throughout the state, and until the Legislature make ethics training mandatory, it is upon each individual to work toward cleaning up New Jersey's government," Handlin said. "We must be proactive when it comes to educating ourselves and the public, about the critical importance of ethics and honesty in the public sector. United States Attorney Christopher Christie cannot, and should not, be the only one of us on the front lines protecting the public trust." The ethics training program will include in-depth presentations from the Department of Community Affairs and the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) on topics such as pay-to-play, accepting gifts, and all applicable state and local laws involving ethics. For information about any of these initiatives, call Assemblywoman Handlin's legislative office at (732) 787-1170.