Courtesy of Richard Johnstone via Flickr Creative Commons

Maryland’s state Delegates serve in the State House in Annapolis.

On Nov. 11, Jordan Cooper visited WJ to meet with AP Government classes and share his real life experiences and expertise regarding various levels of  the U.S. government.

A 2003 graduate of WJ, Cooper is currently running for office as state Delegate in the Democratic Primary in Maryland’s 16th District. In the June 2014 election, Cooper will face off with other Democratic candidates, Kevin Walling, Marc Korman, Hrant Jamgochian and Former Del. Gareth Murray, but in the meantime, he is spending his time as President of the Luxmanor Citizens Association and as an appointed member of the Western Montgomery Citizens Advisory Board.

Cooper discussed the legislative bill-to-law process, how Maryland’s Constitution differentiates our state from others, and what it takes to run an effective, professional campaign. He also shared his own ideas and plans for the future assuming he is elected. He highlights quality of healthcare, spending efficiency, foreign immersion, and funding for the arts as the main issues he wishes to support in his works.

Cooper was not here to promote himself discuss his own platform, as he made very clear to students.

“I am here to teach, not to campaign,” Cooper insisted.

According to his campaign website, Cooper’s early exposure to government at WJ was “transformative” and enabled him to run for delegate today. He hoped to encourage the government students he spoke with to get involved in government at every level.

“My overarching goal [as a guest speaker] is to make the pathway towards public service for our students clearer,” said Cooper on his website. “I hope to open their eyes to the fact they too can run for public office and transform their visions of a better community into a new reality.”

His overarching message to students was to seize the opportunities given to them, – and as a senior high school student, Cooper did just that. He became Student Page in the Maryland House of Delegates, where he spent two weeks in session with the delegates.

“It was a great experience, and it sparked my interest in politics,” he said.

As an alumnus of WJ, Cooper says that it was his high school years that pushed him towards politics.

“I was a student page in the Maryland General Assembly, I was a senior at [WJ]. I had an opportunity to spend two non-consecutive weeks during the 2003 session, serving as a page in Annapolis,” he said.

This time spent in the House of Delegates led him to his career today.

“I created relationships which eventually led to me becoming legislative aide to delegate Keith Hanes from West Baltimore 44 district for a number of years, and led to me being an election judge,being an elected and appointed official, being on a dozen campaigns, eventually getting a masters in health policy and now running for state delegate as I am today,” said Cooper.

Cooper was also editorial editor of The Pitch, pushing him to support the arts, especially journalism.

“I think journalism is incredibly important; it’s [like] the fourth pillar of government. I support journalism.”

Cooper cites his experiences growing up in Montgomery County and District 16 as part of his qualifications for the job of Maryland state delegate.

“I know what works and what doesn’t work for local students and families,” said Cooper on his campaign website, http://www.cooperformaryland.com/.