SHS Students Participate in Beacon Hill Advocacy Day

CAPTION: On the Grand Staircase--Allison McGourty, Evie Chestna, Katie Gill, and Charlotte Reynolds

Scituate High School students Allison McGourty, Charlotte Reynolds, Katie Gill, and Evie Chestna spent the day on Beacon Hill as part of the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women’s advocacy day. They had the opportunity to listen to opening remarks by Governor Maura Healey, meet with Senator O’Connor, and network with other advocates for increasing access to menstrual products in homeless shelters, prisons, and schools. 

 Since the beginning of the year, these sophomore students have been investigating the issue of menstrual equity and period poverty. They developed relationships with organizations like Free Period in Hingham to provide free menstrual supplies to all girls in Scituate. While this is a short-term solution, these students are hopeful that the House and Senate will vote to pass the I AM bill (An Act to Increase Access to Menstrual Products  H.534 & S.1382), which would ensure access to free menstrual products to all public schools, homeless shelters, prisons, and county jails.

In the state of Massachusetts, all students are required to take part in a civic action project as part of their 8th grade civics course as well as again in high school. In SHS students are completing these projects in the 10th grade history classes. To learn more about civic actions being taken by all 8th and 10th grade students, we will hold a local civics showcase on June 14th at Scituate High School.  

Scituate Public Schools is proud of our students for their involvement in civic action assignments. The Globe article, first published on May 31, 2023 by Globe Correspondent Sonel Cutler, continues the story of this student group's civic advocacy efforts.

CAPTION: In the Senate Chamber. Katie Gill, Allison McGourty, Senator Patrick O'Connor, Evie Chestna, Charlotte Reynolds

CAPTION: Meeting with Free. founder Kenzie Blackwell from Hingham.  Pictured Katie Gill, Charlotte Reynolds, Evie Chestna, Kenzie Blackwell (Free.), Allison McGourty, and Heather Willinger