State Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula visits with students at Edison’s Woodrow Wilson Middle School for the New Jersey Education Association’s Teacher for a Day program. Pictured with him (l-r) are: Amanda Leary, Arjun Jayakumar, Haroon Saeed, Heet Patel, Tejas Venkatasubramanian, Reed Krawiec and Andrew Cheng. PHOTO COURTESY OF STACY KONAR EDISON — Students at the township’s Woodrow Wilson Middle School learned firsthand about state government when Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula taught students in Wendy Hurwitz’ seventh-grade social studies class as part of the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA)’s Teacher for a Day program.
Chivukula represents the 17th District, which includes parts of Middlesex and Somerset counties. He has been in the state Legislature since 2002 and was the first Indian American elected to state office. After a career in electrical engineering for three decades, he felt it was important to give back to the community and state where he experienced such success, he said.
“Public service is very gratifying, since you are able to help others,” Chivukula said. “However, you must have a thick skin. People will sometimes say bad things about you, but you need to stick to your ideals and remember that what you are doing will help the public.”
Chivukula began by sharing with the students his most recent travels to China. After entertaining them with a story about seeing fried scorpion on a stick in the marketplace, he emphasized the importance of travel in understanding other cultures and gaining knowledge. He often travels to teach democratic principles, and these travels have taken him to places as far away as Algeria and Azerbaijan.
Because June 30 marks the end of the fiscal year, Chivukula spoke about how a budget works. He explained the importance of having enough income and revenue to meet expenses; otherwise, the government might be forced to shut down. He also spoke about the various committees on which he serves, from the Telecommunications and Utilities Committee to Homeland Security.
Students engaged him in a variety of questions about the environment and alternative energy.
He shared advice with students about the importance of homework to learn beyond the classroom, as well as using their intellect to create ideas and jobs.
Teacher for a Day is an NJEA-sponsored program that allows individuals from the community to experience an entire school day. Under the watchful eye of a regular classroom teacher, guest teachers perform all the duties of a teacher — classroom instruction, lunch and corridor duty, recess supervision and study halls — to “walk a mile” in educators’ shoes.