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Mayor's Message
“The purpose of Student Engagement is to foster active participation, critical thinking and meaningful learning experiences that empower students to succeed academically, socially and personally.” - Elizabeth F. Barkley
In a collaborative effort between the City of Darien and Hinsdale South High School, a new internship program was launched this summer to provide students with firsthand experience in local government. In the fall of 2024, during a discussion between Mayor Marchese and Superintendent Dr. Michael Lach, the topic of establishing an internship was raised, and Mayor Marchese agreed that such a program could provide significant benefits to students with an interest in governmental bodies. The driving force behind the proposal was to offer motivated students an immersive opportunity to understand the structure, responsibilities, and the day-today functions of municipal operations.
Three exceptional students – Monika Aleksonis, Stephanie Acosta, and Shameer Ali were selected to participate after going through interviews with the Hinsdale South staff and City of Darien Staff. All three are “rising seniors” at Hinsdale South, have an interest in local government and have distinguished themselves through their academic achievements and leadership potential.
Over the course of six weeks, the students engaged in a comprehensive exploration of local government, spending four hours per day, three days per week, in various city departments. These included City Administration, Community Development, Public Works, Public Safety, and a week of interactions with elected officials discussing the finer points of city government. City staff in each of these departments provided insights into their operations, helping students develop a well- rounded understanding of municipal functions.
A highlight of the program was a week dedicated to the structure of local government, with emphasis on the development of the city council agendas, the role of the mayor, parliamentary procedure and other topics such as ethical behavior, the “Open Meetings Act” and the impact of proposed state legislation on local communities such as Darien. During this week, the students also met with business leaders from the Darien Business Community, who shared insights into their roles and offered valuable career guidance. The students also had an opportunity to engage with elected officials from the state, county and local levels, gaining a deeper appreciation of how government bodies collaborate and serve the public.
As a culmination of their experience, the students are preparing a “Capstone” project – a detailed presentation reflecting on their learning and research throughout the internship. This project, along with a review of their individual experiences will be presented to the Darien City Council, as well as members of the District #86 Administration and Board of Education at the City’s August 4 council meeting. Due to the success of the program, Mayor Marchese would like to offer this opportunity to additional students, and will offer this program to the District #99 administration for possible implementation next summer.
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