SHS Students See the State of the State in Albany

Two Scarsdale students were among 60 chosen statewide to attend the Students Inside Albany Conference from May 17-20, 2026.

In order to select the students, the Scarsdale League of Women Voters invited sophomores, juniors, and seniors attending SHS or residing in the school district to apply. After a selective process, the LWVS decided to send two SHS students to the conference this year: junior Samantha Goldban and sophomore Anushri Rana.

Connecting high schoolers from across the state, the conference aims to increase students’ awareness of what responsibility they hold in representative government and inform them about the tools they need for that responsibility. Specifically, SIA teaches students about public policy proposal, enactment, and change and also the impact they can make in this area.

Students Inside Albany is funded by the League of Women Voters of New York State (LWVNYS) Education Foundation. Students from Scarsdale are able to attend SIA free of charge due to sponsorship from both the LWVS and LWVNYS Education Foundation.

Since the conference is created to be immersive, students shadowed their NY State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin. Through this opportunity, many students were able to join a session on the chamber floor and experience NYS Government firsthand.

Both students had thoughts on the event:

Goldban said, “Students Inside Albany was an incredible experience. I am so grateful to the League of Women Voters for organizing the program and giving me this opportunity. During my time there, I got to speak directly with my district's legislators about local and statewide issues. It was an amazing way to learn more about the political process and how I can effect change through civic participation.”

Rana commented, “Students Inside Albany was an invaluable and enriching experience. The League of Women Voters provided the incredible opportunity to meet our assembly members and state senators, allowing for true immersion and helping us see our politicians as real human beings. My primary takeaway is that when we detach ourselves from politics, we become complicit, when in actuality, as constituents we hold more power than it may seem.”