Thirty-five Faust seventh graders from Courtney Stephan's social studies classes participated in Senator Sarlo's presentation, and asked a variety of questions ranging from "Why don’t you give us some money?" to "Why aren’t the troops coming home from Iraq?"

School Superintendent Gale Strauss oversaw the senator’s visit, which was sponsored by the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The America's "Legislators Back to School" program is designed to teach young people, as the nation's future voters and leaders, what it's like to be a state legislator, given the processes, pressures, debate, negotiation and compromise that are the very fabric of representative democracy.

 Senator Sarlo relaxed into, and took control of a noisy room full of curious school children by first outlining his academic journey to becoming an engineer, mayor and senator.

"Apart from being mayor of Wood-Ridge, and a senator, I also have another job. I am chief engineer at Bishop-Sanzari Heavy Construction in Hackensack. We built Riggins Field here in East Rutherford," said Paul Sarlo. "Being an engineer, you have to study a lot of math and science, which are very important. I spend much of my time reading American history, and it fascinates me, now that I am in politics, just how important our history as a nation really is. You should all take your history classes seriously, and one day you shall take your right to vote seriously."

The assembled seventh graders asked the senator questions, many of which were drawn from local, as well as national issues.

Ricky Freay of East Rutherford wanted to know why Oak Street was still full of potholes, while an old warehouse was still standing derelict on the street.

"There’s a building on our street which is lying unused. There have been fires in the building more than once," said the seventh grader. "Couldn’t the town be doing something with this building, like knocking it down and replacing it with a public swimming pool or something? We need a big pool."

Faust student Emily Holland was concerned about environmental issues.

"I think we need to clean up East Rutherford. It’s in need of a good clean up," she said.

National, more widespread issues were also voiced by the seventh graders, which included Rebecca Luczun and Bryana Laurenza who both wanted answers with regards to the continuing U.S. troop presence in Iraq, and were concerned for the safety of soldiers.

"When are they bringing our troops home?" asked the two girls.

Student Lauren Schneider was more concerned about the recent visit to Columbia University of the Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, which she thought was an issue politicians should be debating.

"Why was he allowed to come here?" she said.

Seventh-grade student Jonathan Diaz thought politicians should be more focused on the impending presidential election.

Jam Yang Kunga brought up the issue of schoolyard smoking, and the health risks this poses to the young generation:

"A lot of school kids smoke these days. A ot. I don’t think it is good for them to be smoking. What is the government doing about it?"

As an example for the students of the activities that take up a Senator’s work day, Senator Sarlo offered a fictitious law he, per se, may be involved in negotiating. The kids weren’t happy, but were suddenly all attentive, and astonished at the thought Senator Sarlo could create a law that would affect them quite directly.

"How about we extend the school year for another month. Some people may think it would be a great idea, keeping you all in school until July 4," said Sarlo humorously. His audience was aghast with the suggestion, as the senator went on to describe what enacting procedures such a law would then follow.

"If passed by both the Senate and the Assembly, the law then goes to Governor Jon Corzine, and he could sign it into legislation or he could veto it, " explained Sarlo.