Buzzing anticipation becomes almost tangible in the EHS Library. Suddenly, that ambiance is interrupted by a more startling feeling. The audience’s ear canals are assaulted by a blast of sound, jarring students out of conversation. It’s not an explosion, but the grand entrance of a political giant.
Donning his signature blue blazer, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro strode into the EHS Library on Thursday, Sept. 5 to the fanfare of the trumpets, tubas, percussion, and other instruments populating the EHS Band.
“We were told someone important was coming, but it was kept a secret until the day of, so we found out an hour before he came,” senior Reid Hoffman, Band Club president and percussion section leader said, describing the experience of getting to perform the EHS Fight Song for Shapiro. “We were very shocked, because it’s a big deal, because you think the governor is like this big person who you’ll never get to see in your life — and then he was there, and he even fist-bumped our drum major.”
In addition to members of the band, Student Government Association (SGA) members, Class Officers, East Penn administrators, and local lawmakers attended the event. There, Shapiro ceremonially signed the 2024-25 Pennsylvania Education Budget, making new provisions for special education funding, building maintenance, and student teacher stipends, among several other measures. Shapiro chose EHS, among several other Pennsylvania schools, to hold an event and press conference to promote the Pennsylvania Budget, which he signed into law in mid-July.
Senior Mariam Mahmoud, SGA President, gave a speech directly preceding Shapiro’s, describing her own experiences as a student in East Penn.
“Many of you may not know this, but I was initially planning to homeschool after my freshman year, as I would have preferred to teach myself everything,” Mahmoud said in her remarks, praising the resources East Penn provides. “At that time, I was unaware of the community and family I would come to be a part of here at Emmaus High School”
Mahmoud hopes to see the resources that helped her be extended to other districts across the state through Shapiro’s new budget plan as well. Finally, she introduced the man of the hour, Shapiro himself. With his short hair slicked back, the governor stepped up to the podium, warmly thanking Mahmoud for her personal and moving speech.
“You’ve got an amazing foundation here, you took advantage of every opportunity here,” Shapiro said. “It was so cool to hear you speak, but what was really cool was to see your classmates looking at you all proud, it’s just awesome.”
Social studies teacher Eric Luckenbill also stressed the importance of teaching students civics and equal opportunity being extended to all students.
“It’s very advantageous to all school districts in Pennsylvania,” Luckenbill said. “So I thought it was very profound that school districts like us that are in pretty good standing, we’re still going to get the funding we need and deserve, but other schools are also going to get that extra help to help build them up as well.”
While Shapiro dedicated most of his time to explaining the budget and how it impacts Pennsylvania students, he spent a significant portion of his remarks passionately explaining the way government works in a mini civics lesson to students present.
“In order for a bill to become a law in our commonwealth, what has to happen?” Shapiro asked the crowd. “Y’all know this, don’t look at your teacher,” Shapiro said jokingly, gesturing to Luckenbill.
After the event, Luckenbill also reflected fondly on his personal interactions with Shapiro.
“Mariam and I and a few others were in a room with some state House of Representatives and some of the members of their staff. Then the governor walked in, and he couldn’t have been more down to earth. He was just very, very friendly, very personable,” Luckenbill said. “It was like meeting a cool neighbor”
He was not the only member of the Luckenbill family to interact with the governor, however. Eric Luckenbill’s 11-year-old son, Matthew Luckenbill, got a note from Governor Shapiro excusing him from school that day.
“I thought that our school and the students at the school, from the band, to the students that were there [attending],” Luckenbill said. “I just thought that it was a great day for Emmaus High School, and I thought that our students really helped to highlight how great the ceremony was.”
Shapiro’s EHS visit did not mark his last journey to Emmaus, however. On Wednesday, Sept. 25, Shapiro is expected to moderate a Q&A session with the Emmaus community following a screening of the movie “War Game,” sponsored by the EHS Young Democrats Club.
