MFS hosted Congressman Andy Kim as a speaker for a highly anticipated Community Time on May 19, exploring topics of recent legislation, current events, and being an Asian American politician through a speech and Q&A. This event was organized by Shay O’Connor ’23, who has served as Recording Clerk throughout the past year, and facilitated by the six 2023-24 student government clerks. After Community Time ended, a line of students quickly formed to ask the Congressman questions or take photos. Kim generously stayed at MFS for an extra 45 minutes to interact with the student body, and he even stopped by the Upper School Korean Culture Club to enjoy Korean fried chicken with the members.
Many students and faculty praised Kim for his authenticity and relatability when he spoke. Maya DeAndrea ’25, Agenda Clerk, particularly enjoyed his engaging speech: “I liked how his personality shone through his speech. Instead of simply saying what he does for his job, he explains the way in which he serves.”
Brian Howard, MFS Arts Dept. Chair and MS/US Music Teacher, also spoke highly of Kim: “I felt like I was seeing someone who has done this a billion times. He was not only genuine but also directly addressed our community, which impressed me completely.”
Similarly, Haila Desai ’24, Diversity Clerk, expressed that “even though he’s a politician who works with many famous people in Washington D.C., he is still connected with the New Jersey community.” Desai added, “I appreciated [Kim’s] willingness to answer questions, particularly when he went into the audience to give a student the mic because [Kim] couldn’t hear him. It felt like he was connecting with each and every student.” Desai highlighted the student body: “I was also proud of the student body for having the courage to come up and talk to him.”
This assembly was planned throughout this year by Shay O’Connor ’23, 2022-23 Recording Clerk. O’Connor said he had been interested in this assembly for a while as he believed Kim has “valuable insights for the student body.” He chose to invite Kim to MFS because of his ties to the South Jersey community and the “importance of hearing politicians in a non-governmental and non-partisan perspective.” O’Connor believed Kim could appeal to students regardless of their political background. O’Connor stressed the importance of getting involved in the democratic process, especially as “voters of tomorrow.” He hoped this assembly will “be the first of many that educate, engage, and encourage a civilly-active student body.”
Scheduling to host the Congressman was easy, according to O’Connor. He contacted Kim’s office through a form on Kim’s website. Once O’Connor received confirmation that Kim was available on May 19, O’Connor handled the logistics with Jason Ingle, one of Kim’s Congressional Aids. When O’Connor left campus for his Senior Project, he “appreciated how [the new clerks] handled this responsibility and transition with ease.”
Ingle worked closely with the MFS student government in order to prepare for the assembly. Ingle holds the job of providing constituent services and assistance to Kim at outreach events, just like the MFS assembly. According to Ingle, the best way to reach Kim’s office is through his website: “After the scheduling request is submitted from the form on [Kim’s] website, it is sent to the scheduler, gets reviewed, then finally the Congressman attends the meeting or event.
