2 Harvard-Westlake Students Hang with Paul Krekorian

Kennedy Green and Jeremy Bradford, students at Harvard-Westlake School, each have an immense interest in politics, shaped by current events and their collective desire to help others. Last week, they had the opportunity to shadow Councilmember Paul Krekorian as the representative for the Second Council District held meetings and visited sites in Studio City and Sun Valley before showing the students the center of city democracy. 

"I got interested in public service as a little girl, after watching Superman 2and realizing that there are ways everyone can be a hero," said Kennedy, 16, set to begin her senior year this fall. "Being a hero can even mean being a politician, who is a hero that continuously strives to help and protect more than themselves without needing to change into a different suit."

Jeremy's interest in politics was cemented during the 2008 election of President Barack Obama.

"President Obama ran an inspiring campaign that, for the first time in my life, made me truly consider how lucky U.S. citizens are to live in a democratic system - a society that allows everyone to have a voice," said the 17 year-old senior. "From that year on, I knew that I would want to play a role in politics, to play a role in bringing about positive change in the future of our country."

After the tour, each was asked to offer their recollection of their day with the Councilmember.  

Kennedy Green:

"To be a politician is to be resilient, flexible, kind and firm all at once. Today I learned that being a member of the L.A. City Council requires those traits in higher quantities than I expected. Councilman Krekorian showed me that you must be steadfast in representing your constituency, while also being patient and kind enough to truly listen to every opinion that may not be your own.

"The highlights of my day included a new appreciation for companies like Crown Disposal, underneath its intense fumes, that provide services not just on the city's scale but on the state scale. In my hardhat, I got to meet the wonderful employees and administrators of the company, who do for the community and the environment what no one else can. Another highlight was learning over lunch that not just as an L.A. City Councilman but in his entire career, Mr. Krekorian has advocated for environmental legislation; has taken everyone's issues seriously (complaints and otherwise); and, he has empathized in some way with everyone he interacts with. 

"This week, I had the truly fortunate opportunity to shadow Councilmember Krekorian as he went about his daily duties.

"I began the day at the councilmember's North Hollywood office, where I met the councilmember before heading off to the L.A. River. There, we meet up with the nonprofit Village Gardeners to talk about potential future beautification projects around the L.A. River. The next stop on our tour was the Crown Disposal Company, where following a meeting, we got to tour a recycling plant and see firsthand innovative recycling processes in action. All in all, it impressed me to see just how personal the interactions actually are between a councilmember who oversees an entire council district and his constituents.

"Although the first two sites alone already impressed me, I have to say that the most interesting part of the day had to be my first trip to City Hall. Following a brief lunch break, Councilmember Krekorian led us on a grand tour of City Hall, taking us from the Rotunda to the cornerstone of the building and all the way [up] to the Observation Deck where I got to see an amazing panoramic view of the city of Los Angeles. Councilmember Krekorian made my first visit to City Hall a truly unforgettable experience.

"Of all the things I was impressed with, what impressed me most of all was just how optimistically and truly in the interest of his constituents Councilmember Krekorian carried out each and every one of his duties. I can't thank Councilmember Krekorian enough for taking the time out his busy schedule to take us through an exciting day in the life of a councilmember. The whole experience was fun as well as inspiring, and no doubt has pushed me even closer to seeking a profession in politics in the future."