5th-grader has the makings of a lawmaker

Matthew Barad's name isn't a household word. Not yet, anyway.

But check back in about 20 years.

This 11-year-old Woodmen-Roberts Elementary School student intends to become a U.S. senator, and maybe even president. If his early forays into political activism are any indication, he's got a shot at making those goals reality.

His latest effort led to the revision of a D-20 policy prohibiting the showing of PG movies in elementary schools.

Matthew found out about the policy last year when his gifted and talented group finished reading "A Wrinkle in Time" and wanted to watch the movie together. But his teacher said that wouldn't be possible because the movie is rated PG.

"I didn't think it was fair that we could read the book and not watch the movie," Matthew said in a recent interview.

The next day he returned to school with a petition and asked some fellow students to help get signatures.

"That didn't work too well," he said.

So he used his own time after school and at recess to collect more than 100 signatures on a simple petition that sought to allow PG movies.

He was going to mail it to the superintendent, but his mom suggested that he deliver it to the school board. So on May 1, dressed in shirt and tie, Matthew addressed the D-20 Board of Education. Because presenters are required to speak at the podium, his mom, Pam, called ahead to ensure there would be a step stool for him to stand on so the board could see him.

Was he nervous?

"A lot of people would call it feeling butterflies in their stomach. I call it feeling important," he said with the crisp enunciation of an orator.

The board thanked him for coming and accepted his letter. Later, he received a letter from deputy superintendent Heidi Pace that explained the policy review process and informed him that the policy on movies would be reviewed in October.

In early November, he received the official word: The policy had been changed, and students could watch PG movies with signed permission from a parent or guardian. The first one up for his fifth-grade class was a recent showing of "National Treasure" - complete with pizza and ice cream.

How did he feel?

"Important," he said with a wide grin.

Pam Barad said Matthew and his four older siblings all go after what they want with determination. But Matthew is the most dogged, she said.

His activism started in first grade, when he read a Ranger Rick magazine article about endangered panda bears. He told his teacher he wanted to raise money for pandas, and she told him to write a project proposal. He did - and launched an awareness and collection campaign that raised $1,000.

Now, he's on the student council like organization at his school and plans to get involved in student government when he gets to Eagleview Middle School next year.

He's also running for mayor for a one-day Young AmeriTowne conference in Denver in December, and was surprised to find himself among the finalists.

"I think it was the speech, because I'm not that popular," he said matter-of-factly. "I've always had the aspiration to lead."

Woodmen-Roberts Principal Susan Fields expects him to do just that.

"What's so special about Matthew is that he really has a strong sense of himself and he stands up for what he believes," she said. "He's always going to be a person who gets things done."

She said he has a keen understanding of the democratic process and that, if you don't like something, there's a way to try to change it - as he did when he disagreed with the movie policy.

Fields was kept in the loop as Matthew circulated petitions and decided to go to the school board, but she said the effort was truly his own.

And Matthew's advice for other youngsters who want to change things?

"Just do it," he said. "Don't think ‘I can't do anything. I'm just a kid.'"

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Contact the Writer: 636-0251 or sue.mcmillin@gazette.com