Students from Parsippany Hills High School were awarded a State House Express visit and toured the State House in Trenton on Tuesday, April 1.  The students were from teacher Steve Bechtler's Law & Society class and teacher Sabrina Lionti's AP Government & Politics class.

The students and their teachers joined with Assemblyman Jay Webber in the chambers of the General Assembly to discuss the various physical features of the Assembly Chambers, the operation of the Assembly, the lawmaking process, and the representation of citizens in the Legislature.  The students were able to sit at the actual desks of the Members of the Assembly and had their many questions about their State government answered by Assemblyman Webber.

"It is honor and privilege to represent the people of Parsippany, including its students, in the State Legislature.  I am pleased to have participated in the students' visit to the State House and hope that their tour of the Assembly continues to encourage their involvement in New Jersey's government," commented Assemblyman Webber.
 
The State House Express program helps students learn about the lawmaking process while touring the State House.  On the tour, students see the Capitol rotunda, the Governor's reception room, the General Assembly chambers, and Senate caucus room.  Students also participate in a "make-a-law" exercise in which they learn about discussion, negotiation, compromise, and voting in the enactment of legislation.  The goal of the tour is to teach students about the Legislature's role in representative democracy and encourage civic participation in the American political system.
 
In the Assembly Chambers, the students learn that Thomas Edison's young Electric Light Company installed the 66-lightbulb brass chandelier in the new Assembly Chamber in 1891, when the electric lightbuld was just 13 years old.  It symbolized a new era of progress and technological promise.  Stained glass lunettes and an enormous skylight help light the bright and spacious hall.  A brightly painted wooden statue depicting the great seal of the State of New Jersey stands atop a high arch over the Assembly Speaker's dais and desk.  The modern carpet evokes designs of 100 years ago, incorporating images of four State symbols:  the Purple Violet, the Eastern Goldfinch, the Red Oak Tree, and the Honey Bee.