By Mikal McCoy,

Patterson’s Student Government Association (SGA) attended a city-wide SGA meeting at Vivien T. Thomas Medical Academy on Thursday, November 17th, 2016 at 3:30 PM.

The meeting was for all City Schools SGA bodies, to inform members about what is going on in the State and National SGA boards. Patterson’s SGA members John Dingzon (Secretary), Amadou Bah (Vice President), and Mikal McCoy (President), attended the meeting to represent Patterson’s SGA and to learn more about Student Government Association’s program. Other schools such as Digital Harbor High School, Carver High School and Booker T. Washington Middle School attended the meeting. During the meeting , speakers such as Kevin Davis, Commissioner of Baltimore City’s Police Department, spoke to students about what’s going on in the communities of Baltimore City.

Patterson SGA officers Amadou Bah (left) and John Dingzon (middle) pose with BCPD Commissioner Kevin Davis and an unidentified woman (Photo: Patterson Press)

Police Commissioner Davis spoke to students about being safe, steps they can take to improve their communities and how many districts are in the City of Baltimore. “I learned that there are at least 10 districts in Baltimore and community meetings that mostly people older than 55 attend”,said Amadou Bah. During the meeting, one of the focal points Commissioner Davis stressed was that young people don’t attend community meetings that are held to talk about the problems in the community.  “These meetings are a chance for you to give your voice and opinion”, said Davis. Commissioner Davis also told the group that if they attended a community meeting before the end of the year, he personally would take them on a tour of Baltimore City Police Department Headquarters.

Attending community meetings is important. A community meeting is an opportunity where young and older people can come together to talk, and figure out solutions to the problems in their communities. Overall, the citywide SGA meeting was very informative and Patterson’s SGA officers came back with fresh ideas about how to increase their involvement in the community.