4 answers
Hunter
Student
Grove City
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Questions
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Advice to get involved in politics ?
As a high school freshman student what would be the best advice to get in politics like volunteering, and internships in Ohio? How to go about doing that?
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4 answers
Ann Peason
Tech Ambassador Support
3
Answers
Morristown, New Jersey
Updated
Ann’s Answer
Hunter,
Check out your high school to see if they have a club. Often there are political clubs for teens and also in the community. Also you may be able to volunteer for one of your local elections. There is always a need for flyers, mailers and extra hands! Plus it will expand your political "network" and expand your knowledge! So happy you are interested in being involved in our democratic process!
Check out your high school to see if they have a club. Often there are political clubs for teens and also in the community. Also you may be able to volunteer for one of your local elections. There is always a need for flyers, mailers and extra hands! Plus it will expand your political "network" and expand your knowledge! So happy you are interested in being involved in our democratic process!
Kim Igleheart
Career Counselor | Police Officer
1750
Answers
San Antonio, Texas
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Hunter,
As a high school freshman, transportation may be an issue, so you may want to get involved on a level close to home, rather than a US or state senator/representative. Examples would be city council or a school board. You want to start getting an understanding of how things "really" work, rather than just the framework that you are taught in school.
My suggestion is to watch some of the past city council meetings on the internet. Go to council meetings. Watch how they vote, is it a split, or unanimous? Are there 2 factions? That is, if a vote is 3-3, is it always the same people voting as a block? Are there certain companies trying to influence the council? Do these companies give financial contributions to councilmembers running for office? How do you know ? Do open records requests and ask for campaign finance reports!
Find something that interests you. Research the laws governing it. Something as simple as a curfew, or tree protection ordinance. Maybe practice speaking at city council meetings. They are usually limited to 3-5 minutes. So perhaps at one of the first meetings you go to, you could just introduce yourself, say a little about yourself and why you are there. After the meeting, approach the councilmembers. Thank them for being there. Ask them any questions about the meeting you just attended.
If there is something you'd like the city to do, adopt, or change, research it. Email council, present your ideas. If there are civic events sponsored by the city, such as the Blue Santa program, get involved - wrap gifts, etc. Meet people.
The nuts and bolts of politics tends to happen behind the scenes. And this is on all levels of government. Observe, ask. But be careful about expressing opinions. Your objective at this point is to be included - you don't want to alienate yourself by choosing "sides."
You could also check with the political parties in your area to see if they could use help with anything. Also, I remember working on voter registration drives, but that might require you to be 18.
Hey, so what about student government? It would be good practice, learning Roberts Rules of Order, how to make and debate a motion! If you are in FFA, I think they also offer some experience in that.
I live in a city about half the size of yours. After I retired, I got to asking, " why do we not freeze property taxes for our senior citizens like other cities do?" Before long, I was spearheading a petition drive to get this put to a vote of the voters. We formed a political action committee, did fund-raising, designed and mailed out postcards, called houses that had landline phones. And when we got yard signs, demand was crazy, and we had to keep ordering more. It was a blast! I had almost zero political experience prior to this!
If you find yourself saying "somebody ought to do something about this!" Become that "somebody!"
It's great that you are interested! Hopefully you can find a political figure who can sort of mentor you on your journey. Best of luck!
Kim
As a high school freshman, transportation may be an issue, so you may want to get involved on a level close to home, rather than a US or state senator/representative. Examples would be city council or a school board. You want to start getting an understanding of how things "really" work, rather than just the framework that you are taught in school.
My suggestion is to watch some of the past city council meetings on the internet. Go to council meetings. Watch how they vote, is it a split, or unanimous? Are there 2 factions? That is, if a vote is 3-3, is it always the same people voting as a block? Are there certain companies trying to influence the council? Do these companies give financial contributions to councilmembers running for office? How do you know ? Do open records requests and ask for campaign finance reports!
Find something that interests you. Research the laws governing it. Something as simple as a curfew, or tree protection ordinance. Maybe practice speaking at city council meetings. They are usually limited to 3-5 minutes. So perhaps at one of the first meetings you go to, you could just introduce yourself, say a little about yourself and why you are there. After the meeting, approach the councilmembers. Thank them for being there. Ask them any questions about the meeting you just attended.
If there is something you'd like the city to do, adopt, or change, research it. Email council, present your ideas. If there are civic events sponsored by the city, such as the Blue Santa program, get involved - wrap gifts, etc. Meet people.
The nuts and bolts of politics tends to happen behind the scenes. And this is on all levels of government. Observe, ask. But be careful about expressing opinions. Your objective at this point is to be included - you don't want to alienate yourself by choosing "sides."
You could also check with the political parties in your area to see if they could use help with anything. Also, I remember working on voter registration drives, but that might require you to be 18.
Hey, so what about student government? It would be good practice, learning Roberts Rules of Order, how to make and debate a motion! If you are in FFA, I think they also offer some experience in that.
I live in a city about half the size of yours. After I retired, I got to asking, " why do we not freeze property taxes for our senior citizens like other cities do?" Before long, I was spearheading a petition drive to get this put to a vote of the voters. We formed a political action committee, did fund-raising, designed and mailed out postcards, called houses that had landline phones. And when we got yard signs, demand was crazy, and we had to keep ordering more. It was a blast! I had almost zero political experience prior to this!
If you find yourself saying "somebody ought to do something about this!" Become that "somebody!"
It's great that you are interested! Hopefully you can find a political figure who can sort of mentor you on your journey. Best of luck!
Kim
Ehab Thabit
Marketing
7
Answers
Morristown, New Jersey
Updated
Ehab’s Answer
Hunter, volunteering is a fantastic opportunity! It allows you to contribute to your community and be part of something bigger than yourself. Plus, you might even meet people who share your passion and form new friendships. Remember, we grow and learn by embracing new experiences and pushing past our comfort zones. Best of luck on your volunteering journey!
Grotius Hugo
Sales Operations
7
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Grotius’s Answer
Volunteering and getting involved in your community is a good way to be exposed to the needs of your community/area and local politics. You can also read about politicians and how they got started (like their memoirs, biographies, or even blurbs/news articles about them). You can also learn more about politics, either through your government or history classes, and resources that may be available online.