On Thursday, September 22nd, 2022, Secretary of the State of California Dr. Shirley Weber visited North to educate the Junior and Senior Classes about pre-registration for voting at 16. 

The reception began with a greeting from the United Student League, Renaissance and Multi-Cultural Council’s presidents and executives, Pep Squad, and BSR. 

When being introduced, Dr. Weber expressed her passion for voting and why it is so important to her that people vote. Everyone in the United States only gets one vote. So, it is essential to Dr. Weber that everyone in the United States, including teenagers when of age, get one fair share of voting, to see an opportunity for genuine equality. 

It is important to Dr. Weber that students in California, including students at North, register to vote now so that they can when they are 18 years old, so they can see the people they want in office. It is an opportunity to have decisions of our own. 

During the presentation, however, the fire alarm was pulled, putting the assembly to a halt. Fortunately, the notice was false. Dr. Weber said she felt “right at home” when it happened as she explained that the same prank would be pulled many times during finals week at San Diego State University. 

After settling down, Dr. Weber conveyed why she pursued this position, “Weber was born to sharecroppers in Hope, Arkansas, during the segregationist Jim Crow era. Her father, who left Arkansas after being threatened by a lynch mob, did not have the opportunity to vote until he was in his 30s” (Ca.gov)  Her influence comes from her father, ultimately leading to her family using their home to vote. 

It was very important to those involved in making this event happen to make Dr. Weber feel as welcome as possible. “Yes, I felt very welcomed here at North. I’ve never had the kind of reception with the cheerleaders, band, and music. My staff was like ‘Wow! They want us to come,’ so it was very nice. It was wonderful to see the people,” says Dr. Shirley Weber herself! 

A huge thank you to North’s staff, USL, Renaissance, MCC, Pep Squad, BSR and others for all of your hard work and dedication to making anyone who visits North feel welcome and safe.