Students Inside Albany

"A Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience"

The Cortland League works with area high schools and colleges to register students to vote and enhance civic understanding through activities like mock elections and distributing Facts for Voters. In 2018, the League added several students to its board of directors and collaborated with SUNY Cortland's Institute for Civic Engagement in encouraging civil discourse among people of diverse viewpoints through deliberative dialogues.

Under Linda Frank's leadership, in 2014 the Cortland League began sending two students each year to the interactive Students Inside Albany conference at the state capitol. This conference is best described by a participant. In 2018, Homer High student Reed Cleland wrote: 

"The conference was absolutely amazing! It was really a once-in-a-lifetime experience. ... We listened to all sorts of speakers, including media representatives and environmental and education advocates, shadowed the senators, met with our assemblymen, participated in a mock debate over gun control, went bowling, and more!"

History of the Program

Under Linda Frank's leadership, in 2014 the Cortland League began sending two students each year to the interactive Students Inside Albany conference at the state capitol. This conference is best described by a participant. In 2018, Homer High student Reed Cleland wrote: "The conference was absolutely amazing! It was really a once-in-a-lifetime experience. ... We listened to all sorts of speakers, including media representatives and environmental and education advocates, shadowed the senators, met with our assemblymen, participated in a mock debate over gun control, went bowling, and more!"

Students sponsored by the Cortland LWV, with help from the Zonta Club of Cortland and the Cortland chapter of American Association of University Women (AAUW): 

2014: Kennedy George (Homer High School) and Alice Jenkins (Homer High School) 

2015: Harmony Johnson (Homer High School) and Charisse Farley (Cortland High School)

2016: Julia Marshall (Cortland High School) and Samantha Oakley (Marathon High School) 

2017: Abigail Bowker (Cortland High School) and Emma Murphy (Homer High School)

2018: Reed Cleland (Homer High School) and Josephine Williams (Homer High School)

2019: Andrew Cihocki (Cincinnatus High School) and Santana Deckard (McGraw High School)

2023: Vincenzo Perfetti (Cortland High School) and Lily Yang (Cortland High School)