Saratoga News
News
Photograph by George Sakkestad
Saratoga's Shahab Moghadam (left) may be only 11 years old, but he's already developed a keen interest in history and politics. He spends many afternoons at the Saratoga Historical Museum and has set up interviews with past mayor and candidates in the upcoming city council election, including Marilyn Marchetti (right).
Shahab asks the candidates the tough questions
By Shannon Burkey
Shahab Moghadam first became interested in history and politics at the age of 5 because, he said, he likes the concept of the past. So it was no surprise to those who know him when he began setting up interviews with Saratoga's past mayors a year ago.
Now, at 11 years old, he is taking a renewed interest in Saratoga politics and the upcoming city council election by interviewing all of the council candidates to find out what it is they plan to do for the city.
"I started interviewing them because I want to know what they hope to accomplish and why they are running," Shahab said. "It is not like you can just go to a website and find out all about them. You just have to go find out for yourself."
Because of his interest in history, Shahab began spending time at the Saratoga Historical Museum on Friday afternoons with curator April Halberstadt, and that led to his first interviews with local historians on the museum board.
"He is just fascinated with history," Halberstadt said. "He is also very interested in leadership. He started out by interviewing the local historians on our board, then got interested in mayors and started interviewing the past living mayors."
Halberstadt said Shahab is the youngest member of the Historical Museum, a membership that he bought and paid for himself.
"I feel it is a good distinction to be a member of the museum," Shahab said. "It is a great place to hang out and talk to people who have the same interests as me, although they may not be the same age."
While other kids his age are playing or hanging out with friends, Shahab has been busy picking the brains of past and future city leaders. He said he thinks it is important to know about politics and who your candidates are.
So far he has interviewed five of Saratoga's past mayors and four of the six current city council candidates and said he hopes to be able to interview the other two very soon.
One important question he has for the candidates is how they plan to help make Saratoga more environmentally friendly. He said he feels helping the environment is a very important contribution that all politicians should make.
Shahab said when he is old enough to vote, he will be sure he makes the right choice, regardless of his party affiliation.
"It is important to vote for the right person. If they are Republican, so be it, or if they are Democrat, so be it, as long as it is the right person," Shahab said.
According to Shahab's mother, Sholeh Moghadam, her son has always been interested in politics and history.
"He is very good at what his interests are," Sholeh said. "Lately he has been reading a lot of biographies on leaders, and when what he has read doesn't satisfy him, he looks up more information on the Internet."
While he has enjoyed getting to know the local politicians, he is really interested in interviewing former President Gerald Ford because he thinks he accomplished so much.
Shahab said he plans on having a long future as a politician.
"I will probably attend Stanford or Harvard and major in politics," Shahab said. "Then hopefully I will get a job as an aide to a senator and start from there, or maybe even start out in city council myself."
