A problem plaguing students today, as well as society in general, is the increasing rate of political apathy. Students just don't care what is going on with the government since they believe that it doesn't affect them. Well the students who subscribe to that school of thought are sorely mistaken. The local, state and federal governments impact teens with all kinds of legislation, addressing topics such as the driving age or the drinking age The government also shapes what kind of America we're going to live in as adults. So it is in everybody's best interest, regardless of political leaning, to take an active role in the decision making that goes on in this country.
That little diatribe serves as my prelude to what I wanted to deal with, student involvement in the political process. In 2004, I, like many other teens, volunteered to help out with campaigning for a party in my community. I spent a couple of hours one afternoon at the headquarters for the campaign and worked the phones. While that may seem like a very small job, it is through small efforts such as working the phones that candidates are able to sway voters. I got to see up close and personal that there is not really any magic to the political process, it's just a group of motivated people working towards a goal. Getting involved is important for high schoolers because as we become adults, we will be the people making the big decisions.
