Fifteen-year-old Christian Buonopane fell in love with politics at the young age of 11. His interest was triggered when his grandfather, Ron Vecchia, was running for School Committee in 2015. It didn’t take long for Buonopane to find himself immersed in the political process, as he developed an appreciation for meeting people, speaking at and participating in fundraisers and putting signs up around town. “The process of being able to elect someone to represent you and what you believe in seemed so cool to me,†said Buonopane, who is on the high school Mock Trial Team and a member of the Drama Society. In the interview below, Buonopane shares a bit about his love of local politics and how he manages to stay updated on the always-changing world of government.
What do you love most about politics?
The thing that I love most about politics is the dialogue that it starts. It can be local dialogue that we have in Winthrop about certain things like the Center Business District, or it can be so much larger at the national level, relating to our military or foreign policy. Currently I like local politics the best. I feel that it is the place where everything starts and where the most impactful changes can be made and felt. For example, if we want to do something with the old middle school, that will all start locally and impact us as a Town the most.
Do you see yourself getting into politics as a career?
I would love to get into a political career. In college, I would like to major in law, finance, or business administration but also study political science. I really love the idea of being able to serve and help the citizens in my community and beyond.
How do you stay updated on the busy world of politics?
I actively participate in politics by attending Town Council Meetings whenever I can. I also do my best to keep up with local political happenings. In fact, this past weekend, I attended a Meet and Greet with School Committee Chairman, Tino Capobianco for a candidate for our Senate, Joe Kennedy – it was awesome!
Who is your political role model?
I have two political role models. The first is my grandfather, Ron Vecchia, our current Town Council President. I had been part of the campaign from the day he announced his candidacy to present day and have learned about the political process. My other political role model is our Governor, Charlie Baker. When Mr. Baker ran for Governor last year, he won overwhelmingly against his opponent. From that I learned that when you are a good leader and a good person, people will continue to put their trust in you to lead them.