Congresswoman Analilia Mejia, a Glen Ridge resident, visited Ridgewood Avenue School last week and read to students. Pictured above, from left, are Glen Ridge School Board President Elisabeth Ginsburg, Superintendent Winnie Kievit, Mejia, Principal Keisha Harris and Assistant Principal Jarrad Nardiello.
Congresswoman Analilia Mejia (NJ 11th-D) visited Ridgewood Avenue School last week and read to third-graders.
“I have a couple of books,” she told them, “and would love to introduce myself.”
She asked the children to also introduce themselves, one by one and then asked for help to read a book. Hands shot up. Four children were chosen.
“You have to project and say the words clearly and loudly,” she told her four volunteers. “We’re going to learn about voting and public speaking and by the time you’re done, you can run for Congress.”
The four children took turns reading, “The Wall.” This is a picture book by Giancarlo Macri, with illustrations by Eilisa Vallarino and a tale about a king who builds a wall to separate him from people who look different. Realizing his mistakes because everyone has a gift to share, the wall is removed.
Listening to the presentation was Principal Keisha Harris, Assistant Principal Jarrad Nardiello, Superintendent Winnie Kievit and Elisabeth Ginsburg, the board of education president. The third-grade teachers are Lindsay Coral and Laura Boss.
When the readings concluded, Mejia told this newspaper that two main subjects she discusses with her own children are the importance of collective actions and voting. She studied comparative literature in college and said loves to read everything. Her biggest passion is magical realism, but she was “a big fan of Jane Eyre.”
“Jane Eyre,” by Charlotte Bronte, was published in 1847 under the pen name “Currer Bell.” One of the most famous romance novels, it is written in the first-person as a girl matures into womanhood and marriage.
Harris said her favorite books growing up were “The Snowy Day,” 1962, by Ezra Jack Keats, and “Corduroy,” 1968, by Don Freeman.
“I loved both of these books,” Harris said, “because the main characters were of African-American descent doing ordinary things such as playing in the snow, as in ‘The Snowy Day’ and finding value in the imperfect, as in ‘Corduroy.’”
Kievit said she loved the series, “The Boxcar Children,” 1924, by Gertrude Chandler Warner. The series, about four orphaned children who live in an abandoned boxcar, has been consistently surveyed as a favorite children’s title and was made into a 2014 movie.
“It showed children that were resilient problem solvers,” Kievit said. “Seeing children take control of their own destiny is inspiring.”
Mejia said she now reads mostly about democratic institutions.
“The Declaration of Independence was one of the first times that people came together to form a government,” she said. “A lot of people don’t realize it, but 10 years after that was the Constitutional Convention. It was intended that everyday people get together to determine their government.”
Between the signing of the Declaration of Independence, 1776, and the adoption of the Constitution, 1787, the Articles of Federation served as the first constitution.
Mejia said it was critical that there be no backsliding of our democratic institutions.
“We need to build them with transparency,” she said. “We need to come together. I’m vocal about this. The current executive has overreached. The Congress is the most approachable of all parts of government and it’s been weakened. I can see that happening.”
Harris said that Mejia’s visit was relevant because it connected national leadership directly with young students in a meaningful and personal way.
“Her visit emphasized that civic engagement, voting rights, and community involvement are not just adult responsibilities,” she said. “They are values that can begin in elementary school. The visit was also historic because representation matters. Seeing a woman of color serving in Congress and speaking directly to students about leadership, service, and community can inspire young people, especially those from diverse backgrounds, to believe they too can make a difference in their communities and beyond. By bringing conversations about voting rights, democracy, and community into the school setting, Ridgewood Avenue School students understood that being part of a community means caring for others, participating respectfully, and recognizing that every person has a role in shaping the future.”
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