POLITICAL STRAIGHT TALK

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February 17, 2022 

For information on enrollment and registration at Notre Dame, please visit the admissions section of our website here.

Local government official speaks to students as part of the Michigan Youth in Government (MYIG) program, which calls for student interaction with professionals serving in public office to learn more about civic advocacy.

Students participating in the Michigan Youth in Government program in the middle and high school at Notre Dame had a rare opportunity to pick the brain of a former Michigan state representative during community time on Feb. 17. Daniel Acciavatti, deputy director of public works for Macomb County, spoke to the students about the importance of playing an active role in politics at the local, state and national levels. 

Acciavatti served three terms in the state House of Representatives from 2003 to 2008, where he rose to become the ranking Republican member of the House Appropriations Committee. During that time, he championed several bills to address government transparency, water quality and environmental protection.

“Politics at any level is about being able to put your fingerprint on the world on issues you care about,” he told the students. “Disagreements, decision-making. . .it is all part of the process, and we need more young people to stay involved and play an active role for our future.”

Acciavatti outlined the steps for running a successful campaign and what it takes to get a bill passed into law.

“Ninety percent of the work is done behind the scenes and then the representative has to go out and sell his or her idea to the public, to other lawmakers, and the governor,” he said.

Erin Delaney, a Notre Dame ninth grader who was in the library today to listen to Acciavatti, said many things he talked about resonated with her. 

"One main thing that inspired me was the metaphor he used: 'put your fingerprint on the world,'" she said. "It inspired me because it conveys the message that even high school students can make a difference in our society. As a student who wants to pursue a career in political science, today was an amazing experience that I am so grateful for."

A graduate of the University of Michigan, Acciavatti majored in engineering. He said his interest in politics began around the age of 13 after watching his mother run for county commissioner in St. Clair County. Acciavatti himself launched a bid at the state level at the ripe old age of 29.

“It is never too early to start thinking about running for office,” he said. “It can be an extremely satisfying career move and it can also be extremely frustrating, especially today. But if you have an issue you are passionate about, especially if it benefits your community, I encourage you to try it out.”

Acciavatti is the uncle of Notre Dame Prep freshman Brooklyn Haddad NDP'25 and father of eighth-grader Dino Acciavatti NDP'26.

As part of the school’s Michigan Youth in Government grant, which covers 90 percent of the program participation costs, students are expected to speak with someone serving in public office, so that they can begin to make the connections between what they are doing "for fun" and how that can translate to opportunities for civic advocacy, NDP debate coach LeAnne Schmidt said.

"Mr. Acciavatti helped students to see authentically how the things they learn in U.S. History and the tasks they undertake in the Lansing simulation are the lived and real experience of people who willingly serve the public," Schmidt added. "It's about agreeing to do a job and working together for the good of everyone in Michigan, individual counties, or localities, so that we can live together well." 

Sofia Arinez, a Notre Dame sixth grader, learned a lot today during Acciavatti's discussion.

"I realized that I didn't have to be a lawyer to make laws," she said. "I now know that I can be an engineer and still do what I love -- making a change in the world through government."

About MYIG:
Michigan Youth in Government provides middle school and high school students the opportunity to become acting state legislators, lobbyists, and lawyers. They simulate the positions of the actual state government over the course of several days at the state capitol in Lansing.

For information on enrollment and registration at Notre Dame, please visit the admissions section of our website here.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org

Follow Notre Dame on Twitter at @NDPMA.

About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school’s home page at www.ndpma.org.