Senator-elect Elizabeth Warren with students in Wattertown, Massachusetts, in September. (Photo courtesy John Vitti)
Election 2012: Elizabeth Warren's Priorities
New Massachusetts Senator tells students what she'll fight for
By Kid Reporter Christine Zhu
Editor's note: Christine Zhu is a member of a partner group of Kid Reporters based in Wattertown, Massachusetts. Christine and a few of her classmates interviewed then-Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren in September. On Election Day, Warren defeated incumbent Senator Scott Brown to become the newest Senator from Massachusetts.
On September 22, a large gathering of families took part in the 11th annual Faire on the Square celebration in Watertown, Massachusetts. Designed to give children and family a day of fun and leisure, the event turned somewhat political when U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren stopped by.
Wearing a white shirt, pink cardigan, and black dress pants, Warren paid a scheduled visit to Watertown to partake in the festivities and to allow student reporters to interview her on the Town Hall steps.
Jeremy, a seventh-grader from Watertown Middle School, asked her how she would help kids like him.
"I think the way we improve education is that we increase resources that go into it and we make sure that teachers and parents and kids all work together to develop good education plans," Warren said.
Another student asked what policies she would make or change if she got elected.
"One of the policies is to get kids prepared for college and advanced technical training," Warren said. "I believe that instead of investing in oil companies that we should be investing in education. I think that's how we build the future. For me, it's all about our priorities."
Warren also took some time to briefly explain her history and how she first got into politics.
When she was young, she had not thought that she would run for Senate. She said she was inspired to run for office for the first time "because I thought I could make a real difference."
"I've been investing in the future by teaching and by fighting for working families, and running for the Senate is how I'm choosing to do it," Warren added.
In fact, before she became a candidate, she was a teacher. According to Warren, it was her second-grade teacher, Miss Lee, who inspired her to become a teacher herself.
Ms. Warren ended her interview with advice for high school students: "Work hard, study hard, and make smart choices about college."
ELECTION 2012
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