Joe Courtney Visits Schools in Westbrook, Connecticut

WESTBROOK - Politics came home when Connecticut's Second Congressional District Representative Democrat Joe Courtney paid a visit to the Westbrook Middle and High Schools on Dec. 10

This is the first time Courtney has met with Westbrook students at the schools.

Westbrook High School Principal Robert Hale said classes were held this past Veteran's Day where 275 to 300 students wrote letters to those serving in the military in Iraq.

For students, it was important that Courtney picked up those letters to be delivered to servicemen rather than just dropping them in a mailbox, Hale said.

The war in Iraq has impacted the small community of Westbrook with about five or six Westbrook High School graduates serving in the military.

Hale said he has mixed feelings about these former students who are at harm's way but he is proud that they are defending our country.

Tables normally set up in the middle of the Westbrook High School Library were pushed to the side to make way for Courtney's visit.

During his visit, several exceptional letters to military soldiers were read, refreshments were served, the women's choir sang several songs, and Courtney talked with students both as a group and individually.

For some students, it was an opportunity to ask Courtney about how politics in Washington works while others asked about legislation in Congress affecting primary and secondary education.

Others wanted to know more about the current status of the war in Iraq.

Courtney serves on the Armed Services Committee, the Education and Labor Committee, and the Higher Education Subcommittee.

Nicole Giangreco, librarian for the Westbrook High School, said the visit was attended by all three members of the Westbrook Board of Selectmen, members of the Board of Education, student council, and jazz band.

Giangreco said that Courtney's office is "a great office to work with."

Courtney said the visit is part of his goal of visiting schools in all 65 towns in his district which includes most towns in eastern Connecticut.

It's quite a challenge since the district includes shoreline towns from Madison to Stonington and inland towns as far northwest as Suffield and as far northeast as Thompson.

So far, Courtney has visited about thirty.

Courtney hopes his visit encourages students to become interested in their government and said, "I think that they have more at stake at decisions being made in Congress than any other age group."