North senior prepares for political career
by JESSICA L. FINCH Associate Editor

Eric Samuels participates in a session during the Honeywell Scholars @ Presidential Classroom program held in Washington, D.C., from March 2-8. He is a senior at Williamsville North.

Eric Samuels' goal of having his name on a ballot just gained momentum.

A senior at Williamsville North High School, Samuels recently returned from a weeklong program in Washington, D.C. where he met students from around the world to discuss politics.

He was one of 428 students, from 31 countries and 31 states, to be selected for the Honeywell Scholars @ Presidential Classroom.

"It reinforced my decision to go into political or public service," he said. "I want to be a public official."

He will attend Arizona State University next year, majoring in political science.

While attending the gathering in D.C., Samuels was grouped with students from around the world. He felt that his group interacted the best and was also the most diverse.

"At first people were isolated, but by the end of the day everyone joined together," he said.

He added that he was surprised to learn how life for teens around the world is very similar to his own.

His group included teens from the Czech Republic, Scotland, England, Belgium, Germany, Chili, Puerto Rico, France and China. He continues to e-mail many of them.

Students were chosen based on an essay contest and awarded scholarships to attend the program.

Samuels said the experience was eye-opening to the opportunities available in politics, beyond those of elected officials.

The Honeywell Scholars @ Presidential Classroom program offers a globally diverse group of students the opportunity to learn firsthand about the interconnection of science, technology and public policy. Students met with elected officials and business leaders to discuss current issues of global concern.

Samuels is a National Honor Society member and an assistant instructor at Master Chong's World Class Tae Kwon Do.

When asked if he plans to be on a ballot in Western New York, Samuels wasn't sure. He might consider an area with a larger population of Republicans.