Blog #4: Feature Story Progress Blog

1. Rough Draft
   
   
   http://www.ypa.org/about_whoweare.php
   
   
   Why Should Politics Matter to Teens?
   
   
   The vast majority of teens are completely apathetic about political issues and voting. For that matter, so are the vast majority of adults. I personally plan to vote when I'm older, but right now I intend to enjoy the apathy of not-being-able-to-vote while I still can (and I think that's a popular opinion). Is that bad? Is that harmless? Why should the average teen care about something that a) they can't effect, and b) has no immediate effect upon them?
   
   
   Also: Effect that views of parents have on political views of teens
   Charlie Conellan
   Amelia Courtney
   Various other politically inclined students/alumni
   
   
   Interview Non-politically inclined people. See why politics disinterests them.
   
   
   Mr. Beliveau
   
   
   Linda Valentino (running for state senate) - ask her this question. Get the perspective of an older professional in the field of politics - probably hasn't been asked this question too often.
   http://www.lindavalentino.com/home.htm
   and I'll use that contact information you gave me.
   
   
   Interview Cynthia Dill - running for US senate. Ask her this question for same reasons as listed above, except more so.
   
   
   On the other end of the spectrum, interview Justin Chenette (running for state Rep). He has probably been asked this question incessantly, becoming involved in politics from a very young age - and I want to know why.  His name is familiar to every Thorntonite who doesn't have their head in the ground.
   
   
   You wake up every morning a half hour after your alarm. You throw your things haphazardly in a backpack, skip your breakfast, and go off to spend 6 hours at school attempting to process information your brain doesn't care to process. You come home, take a nap, procrastinate on the internet for a few hours, take a few stabs at doing homework, eat dinner, text your friends, and go to bed. Even if you're not as apathetic as this introduction is making you sound, you probably simply don't have time to care about who's president or state representative or president representative. If you're like most teenagers, you also have an extracurricular activity, family problems, or a job to worry about - not to mention that that television doesn't watch itself. Whenever you do bother to turn on the news, it's just pundits making faces at each other and presidential candidates calling each other liars. It's just like Mean Girls, but boring. Why should you, the average teen, care about politics? Maybe I should make THIS point through interviews with students. And then have Linda Valentino and Justin Chenette respond to that through their answers to the questions.
   
   
   “Because,” said Linda Valentino, current Maine state representative for District 134 and hopeful state representative, “it’s your future that we’re deciding up there.”
   When asked this question, Valentino immediately went to fetch an article from the Portland Press Herald from the recycle bin. The article detailed a vote by the University of Maine System’s board of trustees to extend the current tuition freeze (a government mandate restricting colleges from raising tuition). They did this, however, on the condition that the state provide $176 million a year for education and general operations at the University of Maine.
   Sounds boring. But as Valentino goes on to point out, what this signifies is that the money that YOU - yes, you - will have to cough up in order to continue your education is usually decided by people like Linda Valentino: elected officials, often at a state level. The only reason many University of Maine students can still afford to go this year is because of a vote from the Maine senate and house of representatives.
   Even if you don’t plan to go to college, politics still affects your life (talk about driver’s licenses, length of school year, minimum wage, # of hours you can work during school week, other stuff government affects in high school student’s life: Then move on to what affects your life after high school if you don’t go to college, or for that matter after college: taxes, ???)
   “There isn’t a thing that doesn’t affect you,” said Valentino.
   
   
   When 2009 TA graduate Justin Chenette was attending high school here, he interviewed many significant political figures on The Issue, TATV’s news and politics show. After one interview, he remembers that a woman running for office asked him his age. When he responded that he was 17, she replied, “Oh, you’re under eighteen. Your opinion doesn’t matter.”
   
   
   “As young people, we have to make ourselves heard,” said Chenette. “You need to be informed before you turn 18 - whoever you want to be, you need to figure that out at this point in your life.”
   
   
   According to the U.S. Census, the demographic of voters aged 18-29 has fallen steadily since 18-20 year-olds gained the right to vote in 1972, hitting a low in 2000. The twenty-first century, however, has seen a rise in young voters - especially in the 2008 election.
   That’s one of the remarkable things Obama did with his campaign in 2008, remarks Chenette: He made young people feel like they had a voice.
   
   
   
   -Young people do care about issues. they just need to talk about it in an engaging way. Political discourse at a teen level needs to be conversation, not just someone talking at you.
   
   
   “Having young people run for office or in leadership roles can inspire other young people to either get involved, or at least learn about the issues in their community or in their own lives.”
   
   
   The larger issue isn’t even politics. It’s about being immersed in the world around you, finding something you’re passionate about - and, if you don’t like something, changing it.
   “If young people pursue something they’re passionate about, they end up being a productive member of society.”’
   
   
   Chenette listed following ways of getting involved:
   
   
   • Volunteer/intern with campaign. Huge resume builder.
   • communication
   • leadership
   • interaction
   • Intern w/ City Hall
   • Chenette was a communications intern in high school: Even if you don’t have a direct interest in politics, there are plenty of offshoots, if you’re interested in writing, video, or any kind of media, it’s a good place to hone your abilities/start out
   • Just stay informed somehow. Just being aware of what’s going on in the world around you and what affects you. And you can affect that, even without being able to vote (see above methods)
   • Just posting on your facebook
   • “Social media can be a tool to learn to talk back, and to interact with your extended community”
   • Provides safe environment for teens to make their voices heard on issues they care about.
   
   getting involved in current issues helps
   
   
   
   Questions:
   
   
   1. Principal Question: Why should politics matter to teens?
   2. Were YOU interested in politics as a teen, or younger? Why?
   3. With all the shenanigans going on with the current presidential election, many people are of the opinion that politics is becoming petty and dysfunctional. Do you agree? Would you say that it's different on a local level? What are some key differences between voting for a president and voting for a state senator or representative?
   4. What can teens who are interested in these issues do to get involved?
   
   Questions to ask normal students:
   
   1. Have you been following the current presidential election?
   1. If not, why?
   2. If so, what do you think of each of the candidates?
   2. Do you have any interest in local politics?
   3. Name and grade