Harvard student known as "Period Girl" files to run for Cambridge city council

If Harvard's really putting an emphasis on recruiting kids who have done something to help others, then good for them!

As somebody indirectly connected to a surprising number of Harvard freshmen (thanks to a kidlet who went to the high school that sends more kids to Harvard than any other school in the world), I can tell you, though, that, no, most Harvard freshmen have not gotten national media attention for their after-school projects.

What Okamoto has done is really impressive, not just in her idea but in her success in organizing what's becoming a national organization. Most adults couldn't say that, let alone a high-school (now college) student.

Were I a Cambridge resident, though, I'd have to wonder why I should vote for somebody who had no real connection to the community, who came here from 3,000 miles away just a few months ago to go to school. I'm not somebody who requires my candidates to be third-generation residents of a place, but, I don't know, five months in a place where you're spending much of your time on schoolwork doesn't seem like adequate qualifications for the job.