Cheserton High School Senior Proposes Local Resolution
“I have long been a steward to the environment of Northwest Indiana,” said Sid. “I love and care so much for my small town. I grew up hiking the massive Indiana Dunes with my friends, watching the sandhill cranes migrate in my backyard, and catching crayfish in the local creek. My love for my community is why I’m committed to preserving its environment.”
His love for the environment is also what drove Sid to propose a resolution to his Town Council. Sid’s resolution asked the Town Council of Cheserton to declare a “climate and ecological emergency.” The resolution passed unanimously.
As a Congressional debater, the skills Sid learned in speech and debate directly contributed to his climate activism.
“I’ve learned from debate what every single person has taken away from the program,” Sid said. “I built my public speaking skills to the point that I promote advocacy of the issues I fight for; I increased my knowledge exponentially on domestic and foreign relation issues through research skills; and I gained friendships that will last a lifetime.”
And for other students interested in taking their resolutions to the real policymakers? Here’s Sid’s advice:
“When advocating for whatever politics you stand for, there are going to be far more losses than there are wins. Never give up. Not everyone is going to agree with you, and that can be hard a lot of times especially when you’re fully passionate and invested in an issue. As much as I’ve loved the debate program, you have to know when it’s not the time to debate. Always listen to other people and try to understand where they’re coming from. Civility is such an important aspect of a political advocate that will bring success for anyone who wishes to become one.”