Nurturing future candidates
BY JENNA O'DONNELL Staff Writer

Michelle Futerfas, 16, Eatontown, Brianna Sas-Ciampoli, 17, Tinton Falls, Kelly Trochanowski, 17, Neptune, and Kate Mille, 17, Rumson, interview Holmdel Mayor Serena DiMaso during the "Running and Winning Workshop" held May 2 at Monmouth Regional High School.

TINTON FALLS - The topic was whether to adopt Internet regulations for teens. The stance was open to debate by the teens themselves.

And that is exactly what more than 60 young women from11 area high schools did during the second annual "Running and WinningWorkshop" held atMonmouth Regional High School on May 2.

The workshop is designed to encourage young women to consider becoming involved in the political process and make a difference.

Organized into groups with assigned roles such as candidate, campaign manager, publicist and speechwriter, the students created campaign slogans, speeches and posters that they presented at the end of the workshop.

Martha Wilkinson of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School was the candidate for her group and gave a speech against the regulation of the Internet, instead stressing the need for heightened responsibility.

Long Branch's Jara Reid, 17, and Middletown South's Amanda Willis listen to Monmouth County Surrogate Rosemarie Peters speak at the May 2 "Running and Winning Workshop."

"I believe that if we educate teenagers and make their parents more interested in taking active roles in being aware about how their child is using the Internet, then the majority of these malicious Web acts could be prevented," Wilkinson said.

Candidate Laura Turner of Communications High School in Wall and her group took the opposite stance. They proposed the idea of "mysafe.com," a way for computer and Internet regulation to begin.

"At this point in time the regulation of the Internet is very limited by the government," Turner said. "Anyone at any age can see anything whenever they want to and also pretend that they are someone else. The government's involvement in the Internet is small and it needs to becomemore active. The restrictions placed on the Internet should be enforced but not to the point where individual freedoms would be violated."

Barbara Goldstein, chair of the workshop, described the day in which the students, all high school juniors, divide into groups, take a stance on the subject of Internet regulations, and plan a mini-campaign around their views.

"It is very gratifying," Goldstein said. "The girls end up leaving with things to think about later."

In addition to the League of Women Voters, the event was planned and sponsored by the American Association of University Women, The National Women's Political Caucus, Hadassah, and the Junior League of Monmouth County.

Seventeen local women in government were also in attendance to lend a guiding hand to students. State Sen. Jennifer Beck, Monmouth County Sheriff Kim Guadagno, and HolmdelMayor Serena DiMaso were a few of the guests along with several councilwomen, mayors, freeholders, Board of Education members and other officials.

"The students are given packets that include biographies and contact information [for the women in government]," Goldstein said. "The women are meant to be mentors for them."

It has been an especially successful year for women in government in the state of New Jersey.

According to Amy C. Dempster, president of the Monmouth County Regional Women's Political Caucus (MCR-WPC), in this year's elections in the county, 68women ran for office and 39 were elected, which means 57 percent of the women who ran were elected to office.

NewJersey nowranks 15th in the nation in terms of the percentage ofwomen serving in the state Legislature, and 14 new women took the oath in 2008,which brings the total number of women serving in the state Legislature to 34, according to LoriAnneOliwa, one of the founders of theMCR-WPC.

"I believe the county political and party bosses have finally realized the value of putting women on the ticket," Oliwa said after the elections.

By providing this program of mentorship, the workshop sponsors hope that young women will be encouraged to become involved in public service and leadership.

"Hopefully theywill come away fromthis experience with an understanding of how important is to take roles in leadership," Goldstein said.

HayleyMoss, Shrewsbury, said that her experience at the workshop was "truly amazing".

"Women empowering women. There are so many role models we girls do not get to see,"Moss said. "They should be in the spotlight because they do so much for world, no matter how small. I was surprised and impressed with how many of these politicians were mothers, wives, and business owners.

Moss said that meeting local women in government had changed her perspective and that she planned to becomemore active in years to come.

"One main thing I learned from them was to stand up for yourself andmake yourself heard," Moss said. "It doesn't matter about a title or howmany votes you get, but did you do the right thing."