AT YOUR SERVICE
Senator Guy Reschenthaler was re-elected in November 2016 to Pennsylvania’s 37TH Senatorial District, which represents citizens in portions of Allegheny County, including Mt. Lebanon. Reschenthaler was raised in the South Hills of Pittsburgh by two former teachers. He is a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School, Penn State Behrend and Duquesne University School of Law. After law school, Reschenthaler joined the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps and volunteered for duty in Iraq. After his naval service, he worked for a law firm in Mt. Lebanon before being elected Magisterial District Judge for Pleasant Hills, Jefferson Hills and South Park. Now as senator, Reschenthaler visits schools with seminars on cyber bullying, underage drinking, and drugs. He is currently working on developing programs that will help reduce truancy in local schools. Reschenthaler sat down with Mellon Middle School sixth-grader Chloe Martin to answer some questions about serving his country and his community.
Q: How do you pronounce your name?
Guy RESH – in – thall – er
Q: Why is public service important to you?
I want to make a difference. Serving others and giving back is important to me. As a senator I can help and reach out to more people in and around my community. The best part of my job is changing my state for the better.
Q: What issues in your community are most important to you?
Education is so important. Chronic truancy directly affects your grades and success in school. I also want to work on judicial reform, which means getting people help rather than just punishing them when they get in trouble.
Q: Why should young people get involved in public service?
It’s important to learn about community issues that impact their daily life. Young people can make changes for the better in their neighborhoods and in their communities by getting involved.
Q: How can young people get involved in public service?
Young people can volunteer to help with almost anything in their local municipality. Find out what interests you and what matters to you. Just get out there and get involved!
Q: What is one thing that would surprise people to know about you?
I was a lifeguard at the wave pool at Sandcastle for about seven years. I think I had about 78 saves while I worked there. It was a great experience.