Do kids today not care about modern politics? In recent years, trends in data have shown that voter turnout rates, especially among youth, have declined. Yet the large-scale protests that have fanned across the nation in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and to protest the overturning of the federal right to an abortion, have been primarily led by young adults. So is the reasoning just that people lack the initiative to go and vote? Or that they don’t feel the need when issues don’t immediately pertain to them? There is an endless rabbit hole of possible answers for this commonly asked question, but how concerning are these claims? Well, at Theodore Roosevelt High School there are a myriad of opportunities for students to get involved with politics. There might be a lack of turnout, but there isn’t a lack of opportunity.
Government teacher Mrs. Boykin, an outspoken proponent for encouraging voter participation, and the current school registrar, is well known among students for the many voter outreach programs she heads, to encourage students to vote. She had this to say about the topic, “It is important, especially when the issues they vote on relate to them. They need to have a say in their lives.” From that, she continued, “[You] need to know what the issues are about…know your polling locations and information about the candidates.” Mrs. Boykin leads several opportunities throughout the year to connect with students, including a decorated cart full of information, and a voter registration day.
One student who benefited from Mrs. Boykin’s advocacy is senior Ada Howard, who credited Mrs. Boykin with encouraging her voting activism. She said voting is important because – not only for herself but for others – it is important to represent her ideas and opinions in all elections.
Because of the country’s increasingly polarizing views on politics, it has become even more important that everyone who can vote should vote, even if the election results don’t turn out how you wanted. Because, as Mrs. Boykin said, you don’t stop rooting for the Browns even if they lose every game, so you shouldn’t be discouraged if your candidate or a certain bill doesn’t succeed – because there’s always next year.
