Dinniman gives address at virtual CCIU student forum

WEST CHESTER » As the school year wraps up onscreen and students and their families prepare for an uncertain summer, the student forum of the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) still met, albeit over Zoom, to address change in their communities and elect new officers.

State Sen. Andy Dinniman, D-19th, minority chair of the Senate Education Committee, joined the meeting and offered a few congratulatory words via a virtual commencement address.

“You can decide whether the glass is half full, or half empty. The pandemic has emptied our glass considerably,” Dinniman said. “But perhaps it has taught us to be vigilant on environmental issues. Perhaps it has showed us that we must be innovative in how we educate each other. While the glass may seem empty, there’s always a way to fill it.”

The student forum of the CCIU is comprised of student leaders across a multitude of schools throughout Chester County. Their mission focuses on fostering relationships between all types of schools and building a community between them.

“We remember learning about pandemics in school. We never expect to experience them,” George Fiore, Executive Director of the CCIU, said in the Zoom meeting.

After some spirited virtual speeches by the student candidates, new student officers were elected: Anna Ginelli as Treasurer, Rishab Srinivasan as Secretary,

Nicholas Cassano as Vice President, and Paige Williams as President. The 2019-2020 academic year’s officers also gave their farewell speeches.

Afterwards, a period of discussion between Dinniman, the students, and the present faculty occurred.

“Change is inevitable, and we are in the fastest period of change in all of human history. Take advantage of it, and be the ones who drive that change, and lead that change,” Dinniman said during this discussion.

“And remember: without hope, we can’t really do much.”

The student forum hopes to continue working towards developing cross-disciplinary and county-wide projects for all students to benefit.