BOSTON (AP) - An 11-year-old boy, a police chief, a new mayor, and a school teacher were among the Massachusetts residents invited by the state’s delegation in Washington to attend President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address Tuesday.
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren invited one of her youngest campaign supporters, while fellow Democrat Sen. Edward Markey extended an invitation to Watertown Police Chief Edward Deveau.
Warren praised Cambridge resident Zev Dickstein as an example of the impact young people can have on their communities. The Cambridge Street Upper School sixth-grader was 9 when he began working on Warren’s Senate campaign in 2012, and says the experience propelled him into politics.
“He understands the importance of public service,” Warren said. “Zev’s passion is inspiring.”
Markey noted the efforts of Deveau and members of the Watertown Police Department to confront the Boston Marathon bombing suspects in the early hours after the attack last year.
“Deveau and his men courageously defended the streets of Watertown after the attacks and in doing so defended our nation,” Markey said.
U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas invited the new mayor of Lawrence, Daniel Rivera, to the speech. Rivera has pledged to work to turn around the fortunes of the economically hard-hit city. And U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy invited Jennifer Walsh, a Milford High School teacher and North America Special Olympics’ 2013 Coach of the Year.
Tsongas and Kennedy also are Democrats.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.