Illinois State Senate District 48 issued the following announcement on July 2.
In place of the usual visit to the Capitol, State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) held a virtual interview with Sangamon Valley High School senior Alex Mann this week as part of his Future Leaders Program.
A recent graduate of SVHS, Alex is set to attend Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in the fall, where he plans to obtain a joint degree in paralegal studies and pre-law before pursuing a Juris Doctorate. He says his passion for history is what prompted him to pursue a career in law. His interest in the subject was sparked by his 8th grade history teacher and his father, who serves as the manager of the Sangamon Valley Collection at The Lincoln Library.
Manar’s one-on-one interview – a tradition of his Future Leaders program – focused on Alex’s plans for his future, his approach to the unexpected lifestyle changes caused by COVID-19, such as remote learning, and how he remains hopeful about the future in such unpredictable times.
“It’s not hard to see why Alex’s principal nominated him for the program. He’s a bright and well-rounded student-leader. I was most impressed that Alex holds a perspective on our world grounded in historical knowledge,” Manar said. “He fully understands the societal challenges we face and remains optimistic, because he knows that we’ve overcome greater obstacles. It was inspiring to hear that from a 17-year old student.”
Alex was nominated to the program by Sangamon Valley High School principal Jonathan Field.
Original source can be found here.