On Election Day, some AP Government students were surprised with the unique opportunity at the Ricketts Center, a local community center and polling location, to talk with Democratic Rep. Madeleine Dean, who is currently running for reelection for the position of US representative for Pennsylvania’s 4th congressional district. The district includes almost all of Montgomery County, the county that Hill is located in. 

Their conversation was centred around the importance of democracy and the role of students on the future of politics in the country. “She stressed the importance of exercising our right to vote and staying involved in politics even if we can’t vote. She also expressed great hope and trust in the outcome of the election,” Mallory Rohrbaugh ’25, who was part of the class that met with Dean, said.

Some students had the opportunity to engage with Dean individually. 

“One of our co-Presidents of the Young Republicans Club actually spent the most time of anyone having a productive one-on-one conversation with Congresswoman Dean,” Instructor of History Nicholas Malinak, who led the AP Government students to the polling station at the Ricketts Center, stated in an email. 

Commenting on the experience of meeting Dean, Rohrbaugh said, “I really enjoyed the whole experience of voting and seeing democracy in action, especially because I am not old enough to vote in this election,” Rohrbaugh said. 

“More importantly, I felt a real sense of excitement in the air and that people were excited, and also anxious, about the future but mainly optimistic,” Rohrbaugh said. “Being able to go to the polls like I did today really puts into perspective how lucky I am to live in a country where I am allowed to vote and have a say in my future.”

Rohrbaugh found the most interesting aspect of the experience being “talking with Madeline Dean and her chief of staff, Megan Ruane, Class of 2013, about her experience running for reelection, the importance of being vocal about your beliefs and how we can impact the future by voting and staying involved and up-to-date.”

Malinak also shared his thoughts on the impact of the meeting and mini-excursion to the Rickett Centre on the AP Government students. 

“It also helped us feel the impact of the election, seeing the very people we were voting there who are actively working to represent us,” Malinak stated in an email. “Finally, I hope that it provided us some inspiration that we really have a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”