Millie Cripe, 15, Y-Press
Heidi Bentley, 19
Mobile, AL
Anyone who knew Heidi Bentley wouldn't have guessed that she could play a significant role in a campaign to elect Tom Parker to the Alabama Supreme Court. Even the twins, Alex and Brett Harris, who delegated the tasks to her didn't know exactly who Heidi was. They thought she was her 24-year-old sister. But the self-described shy 17-year-old stepped far out of her comfort zone, doing whatever work was necessary to help elect a justice whose message she believed in. Although she received support from her parents and is thankful for it, Heidi was the primary coordinator in any task delegated to her. She didn't come from a family that was active in politics, although her whole family supported Parker's campaign. She suggests that young people get involved by finding a candidate that they are passionate about, hearing them speak if possible, and then volunteering whenever possible.
What was your specific role in Tom Parker's campaign?
Basically my whole job was to help get information out in my area and try to influence voters' opinions. It was basically kind of just getting the vote out and I helped all our state, 60 individual counties, to set up meetings and I went to events and just helped represent the candidate, passed out flyers, shook hands…basically anything that involves getting the names out in public.
What made you support Tom Parker?
[My friends and I] went to his announcement of candidacy, and that was in Montgomery. So we went, my family went up there and we heard him speak, and I was just really impressed with the way he declared what he believed, and he had faith-based convictions that motivated his stands in areas of morality and the rights of unborn children and justice for criminals. And he was a real man of integrity. I just wanted to see him in power in the election.
What would you consider your biggest success in the election campaign?
Basically the biggest success about the campaign, I think, was that in the end he only lost by 22 points and he was out spent about eight to one… that's a significant amount. And I think it was mostly because he had so many dedicated people, a lot of which were young people, teenagers, who put so much into the campaign just 'cause they believed in it.
Do you see yourself being politically active in the future, doing any more campaigns?
Yeah, I think when there are candidates who I believe in strongly, I will give all I can to help them, and mostly that would be people who are morally, they stand on moral issues and are very strong about what they believe and convictions to do what is right and constitutional.
By Tommaso Verderame, 14, Y-Press
Caitie Boland, 18
Great Falls, Montana
Dedicating hours to student voter registration, promoting youth involvement in politics, and all the while campaigning for John Parker for Montana attorney general and for herself as a precinct committeewoman, Caitie Boland is the epitome of youth political
activism.
Now a student at Georgetown University, Boland was involved in politics in high school and has continued in college. Among other activities, she is the membership director of the Georgetown University College Democrats.
Parker was unsuccessful in his attempt for attorney general, though Boland was elected. One thing is for certain: she is helping to pave the way for a new generation of young Democrats.
If you could talk with any candidate about any issue, what would it be?
Well, I think if I could talk to Obama about his plans for rural America—that would help me decide in the election. Hillary had incredible plans for rural America, and, if I were a one-issue voter, I'd have voted for her instantly.
What issues are important to you?
Energy policies, reforming No Child Left Behind in rural school districts. My mom's a teacher, and the idea of having set standards for the entire country and Montana just doesn't work. I think it's ludicrous.
What has been the best response to your work so far?
I get a lot of people who are active in the Democratic Party telling me how great it is that young people are involved. And I'm running for precinct committeewoman in my district, and if I get elected to that position I'm basically helping to form the upcoming generation of the Democratic Party in Montana. People are really excited about that. I would be the youngest.
What made you support Parker for attorney general?
I originally turned to him because I worked for him throughout high school when he first became the House minority leader, and now he's running for attorney general. We have a really, really, bad meth problem, and there's a lot of rising crime in Montana. I think John as attorney general will really play a key role in reducing those problems. He'll be able to lock up criminals.
What do you think has changed this year to allow young people to be more involved in politics, in general?
Well first of all, I do think that it is directly linked to Obama. Obama has done a lot to get young people involved. And mainly, I think the big difference between last election and this year is Barack Obama. He's like our JFK, or our Robert Kennedy. There's something
inspiring about him that hasn't grabbed our generation before.
By Sarah Zabel, 15, Y-Press
Alex Christensen, 14, and Peter Christensen, 17
Escalante, Utah
Peter Christensen, 17, and his brother Alex, 14, are from Escalante, Utah, a town of 818, according to the last census. While the boys enjoy outdoors activities such as fishing and hiking, they are both officers in the Garfield County Teen Age Republicans, a local chapter of the national TARs program.
The Garfield County chapter faces a unique challenge: It encompasses three high schools, each more than 60 miles apart. Nevertheless, the brothers’ TARs group has been voted the most outstanding TARs chapter in the nation five years in a row.
Ada Cox, the retired adult mentor of the group, says it is in large part because of the siblings’ efforts. “It makes me really glad because I was actually part of something that got recognition in the country. It’s just really special,” said Alex.
Alex will continue with the program, though Peter graduated from Escalante High School and plans to attend Southern Utah University. After studying for a year, he will serve a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Alex Christensen
When and why did you become politically involved?
When I was 12, my brother was the chairman of TARs [Teen Age
Republicans] and he got me started. I was also active in Boy Scouts, and the service project there made me want to get more involved with the community and politics.
Describe your job in TARs and the responsibilities it entails.
I am the secretary, and what I’m supposed to do is to go to all the meetings and take notes. Then I assign people to do stuff like call the other TARs and tell them when the meetings are and what activities we’re going to do soon.
What kinds of activities do the TARs do?
We help people get out to vote and then we’ll do service projects. Last Christmas we helped raise money so that the soldiers in Iraq could buy cell phones and call home to their families for Christmas.
What is the most important issue to you and your peers that is being discussed by the candidates?
All the education stuff—the safe school policy and the No Child Left Behind act.
Peter Christensen
When and why did you start becoming politically involved?
In the 5th grade my teacher, Miss Bassett, helped me develop a love for history. As I continued to study history, I became interested in politics as well. This interest led me to joining TARs.
What do you consider your biggest success with TARs?
I think that the most important thing that TARs does is help teenagers prepare to become more aware voters. I think that the greatest success that my fellow students and I are now more prepared to go to the polls on Election Day in November.
How do you feel about working with your brother?
Alex and I are best friends and really close, so it is great to be able to work with him on anything. This last year we were the only active members at Escalante High School so we worked together on all of our activities. Now that I have graduated, Alex is the only active TARs member at EHS, but I know that he is ready to take on the challenges.
What advice would you give to other kids who want to get politically involved?
Don’t be afraid to be involved if you see something that needs to be done. Don’t wait around for someone else to do it. Do it yourself no matter who you are—you can make a
By Hrishikesh Deshpande, 12, Y-Press
Adam Lussier, 18
Ridgefield, Connecticut
When Adam Lussier realized that he was nearing voting age, he decided to do some research on the presidential candidates. Like most teens, he headed straight to the Web, where he "stumbled upon" Ron Paul's Web site and liked what he read. A registered Democrat, Adam switched parties to vote for Paul in Connecticut's Super Tuesday primary.
But choosing a candidate was not enough. Lussier joined a 71-member meet-up group, with whom he canvassed grassroots support and met with other Ron Paul supporters.
Although Paul suspended his campaign in early June, Lussier's support for the congressman has not waned. He plans to continue his political activism as he heads to Carnegie Mellon University in the fall, and he hopes to campaign for Paul in 2012.
What qualities do you look for in a candidate?
What I like about Ron Paul is that he's pretty straightforward, he doesn't really mince around words, and he understands how to follow the Constitution. So he's steadfast, that's the trait that I like.
Do you plan on supporting John McCain in the fall or will you write in Ron Paul?
I don't think that it's really worth it to vote for someone who has no chance of winning, just to make a statement. I'd rather use my vote to give one to Barack Obama.
What advice would you give to other kids who want to get politically involved but don't exactly know how?
The Internet is a resource for that because it's pretty easy to Google what you're looking for. I'd say that that's my No. 1 resource.
If you could pass any piece of legislation, what would it be?
Right now, what I'd probably want to pass is legislation concerning the educational quality in America. I don't really like what George Bush has done with education and No Child Left Behind, so I'd want to implement some legislature to change the way that schools are evaluated.
What issue would you like the candidates to address?
I think my No. 1 issue would be following the Constitution. I would ask them what they have to think about some of the new, potentially unconstitutional powers that the government has, like some aspects of the Patriot Act that give the government surveillance powers that it has never had before.
By Millie Cripe, 15, Y-Press
Sterlin Pendergrass, 18
Crossville, AL.
In DeKalb County, Democratic incumbent Harold Bobo was going unchallenged in the 2008 school board primary. Sterlin Pendergrass stepped up to make sure everyone’s voice was heard.
A recent graduate of Crossville High School, Sterlin thought the system didn’t give voice to a variety of opinions. He had wanted to run for school board for about two years, but he had to wait until he was 18.
Believing the county—population 66,935 and the “sock capital of the world”—needed a new direction, Sterlin’s goal was to help teachers and students by listening to them. He wanted to know which problems were most troubling the school system—and what he could do to fix them.
While Sterlin was unsuccessful, he hopes his attempt encourages more young people to step forward. For himself, he plans to run again for the six-year term, in 2014, and may eventually consider being involved in politics on a national level.
Why did you run for school board?
I just always had an interest in public service and I always figured that would be the best way to start out by helping our students and our teachers. I just enjoy the experience of getting out and talking to people, meeting them and listening to their ideas of what we need to change.
How did it work, signing up to be a candidate?
You just have to go to your party, of course I’m a member of the DeKalb County Democratic Party, and they ask you some questions like, “Have you supported the party loyally for four years consecutively?” If they decide you are qualified to run for office, then you go and pay a fee and then fill out the correct papers and send them in. And that’s pretty much all it is.
In hindsight, what would you have changed about your campaign?
I would have a better plan of how to go about it and try to talk to a few more people here and there and have a few more town hall type meetings, stuff like that. … I’ve been on TV and in the paper and all that stuff, but I just wish I could have spoke to a few more people. That’s what I regret.
What advice would you give to young people who wanted to become politically involved?
If you can find someone who has been in the office you want to run for, talk to them and see if they can give you some advice about what goes on, just how to go about it. And if it’s a governing body like a city council or a school board, then go to the meetings and see how it works, how business is conducted.
If you could talk with any of the presidential candidates about any issue, whom would you pick? What would you discuss?
Hillary Clinton and health care because the system now is in shambles. A lot of families can’t afford to get sick and go to the hospital or even the doctor’s office. A lot of time Medicare and Medicaid won’t cover everything. Something needs to be done so everyone can have health-care coverage.
