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HILLSBOROUGH: There oughta be a law!

High schooler working to see his idea written into statute

By Gene Robbins, Managing Editor
Hillsborough High School student Max Nelson wants to pass a law — and he’s already over some significant hurdles to doing it.
Max has inspired a state senator with his idea to spur community service among high school students. State Sen. Shirley Turner’s staff has moved the gist of his idea to the official bill-writing agency for the Legislature and it has returned a draft of a bill. He hopes to get its official bill number any day now.
"When this happens, I need public support, so that the N.J. Senate will put the bill on their agenda as soon as possible," he said.
Press coverage will help him, he says, by making people aware of the idea, "which I believe has a very good chance at becoming a reality."
"It isn’t every day that a 17-year-old junior makes it this far with just a small idea, so with your help, we can turn that idea into a reality," he said in suggesting an article.
His idea would require a board of education that includes grades 9 through 12 to establish a community service credit program. The program will allow a high school student to earn credit as an optional elective towards the high school graduation requirements upon the completion of an approved community service activity.
His bill would increase volunteerism among high schoolers, and make teens want to help out in their communities, he says.
"The lack of young volunteers in today’s society is an outrage, but it is not our fault," he said of his generation. "Teens today are busier than ever, constantly trying to balance school, jobs and a social life, all while trying to get sufficient sleep. By incentivizing volunteering, you’re giving high schoolers a chance to get something for their efforts (elective credit) and, as teenagers, we tend to like rewards for hard work."
Max reached out to Sen. Turner because she is on the Senate Education Committee, the logical place for such a bill to start, he said.
He said he was surprised she embraced the idea. "One of the reasons she was more willing to make it happen is because I did my own research," Max said. He linked her to a similar law on the books in Florida, showing that it was feasible, he said.
Once his bill gets an official number, he said he’d reach out to Assembly to get it introduced in that body, and to Senate Education Committee members to spur a hearing and passage to the full Senate.
"I think it’s pretty cool," said Max. "Not too many people get a draft bill accomplished. They don’t put in hours of research."
His idea would cost "zero dollars" but make a difference for hospitals, senior citizen homes and other nonprofits, he said.
Max was class president in his freshman year, is on the UN and school debate clubs and says he is passionate about government.
"I know I will major in political science in college and go to law school," he said. "I love working with people and making things happen."
Max volunteers himself at the high school summer program and at his temple.
" I know kids want to volunteer, it’s just that with how school works there is no time," he said. "Kids also like getting something for hard work. This would give them credit for a class they already want to do."
Hillsborough High School ahs electives in music, photography and mechanical drawing — a lot of things about which kids aren’t passionate.
But maybe someone would get turned on by working in a homeless shelter, he said.
Under the bill, the board of education will determine the number of hours of community service that a student must complete in order to receive the credit and the number of credits that may be earned. Student would perform the community service activity during evenings and on weekends, but not during school hours.
A student may complete the community service activity with a non-profit agency or organization, a public agency or institution, a non-profit or for-profit health care facility, or any other community organization which the school board deems appropriate.
A student may not receive compensation for the community service activity or substitute employment for the activity.