CONCORD, N.H. (Jan. 5)
From Chicago, 60 students from 12 high schools come to New Hampshire to volunteer on all the presidential campaigns.
Sharhonda Dawson runs the extracurricular program called “Elections and Actions.”
[“Elections and Actions is basically a philosophy that young people should be engaged in politics now to understand democracy.”
“That you should take young people now — and instead of talking about it, put them on the campaigns, put them out there on the streets, have them making the phone calls. And that is the best way to make people real lifelong, active citizens.” Sharhonda Dawson]
Sixteen-year-old Chelsea Goolsdy-Eberhart from Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep Academy got the political bug by going along with her mother to work on political campaigns. Now it’s her turn — even though she can’t vote.
[“I helped one of the candidates. Maybe they might not win. Maybe they might. But at least I had some part to help with government, which most people our age can’t really do.” Chelsea Goolsdy-Eberhart]
Claire Sigelko, also 16, is from Chicago’s Northside College Prep High School. Both of her parents campaigned for Barack Obama. Claire is following in their footsteps — but her assignment is to work for John Edwards. She says this is an opportunity to do something on her own.
[“I thought it would be a really great opportunity for someone my age who can’t actually vote in an election to participate in it — and to see how an election works, because to be honest not a lot of kids my age know. Claire Sigelko]
Obama was the students’ first choice of candidate. But the program assigns students to different campaigns. These are working for Edwards. The experience is giving them more to think about.
[“I learned a lot about Edwards and I really like him.”
“I’m undecided now.”
“I like Obama still. He’s probably still my first choice but now I’m much more unsure.” Claire Sigelko]
[I’m still for Barack. But I’m trying to learn about Edwards so that maybe if I’m more clear like how he feels about the issues maybe I can possibly switch over to possibly supporting him more.” Chelsea Goolsdy-Eberhart]
Until Tuesday’s primary, the students will go to rallies. They’ll make phone calls to get out voters. They will be going door to door. And they’ll be learning a lot about democracy.
This is Joyce Ogirri reporting for WATD News, Election 2008, Concord, New Hampshire.
(Joyce Ogirri, a broadcast journalism graduate student, is covering the New Hampshire primaries for WATD Radio in Marshfield, Mass.)
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