Elections Draw Student Involvement

ELECTIONS student draw involvement

Politics bring valuable experiences

To many young people, politics may seem Vice President of Free State Young Democrats. inaccessible. Teenagers are brushed off by “I started volunteering for local campaigns over adults as idealistic or ignorant, or feel as quarantine,” Bangalan said. “It made me aware that though they can’t make an impact. Most what happens in local elections is more pertinent to notably, they can’t vote. our daily lives, rather than national elections.”

But students aren’t letting these things stop them. Senior Amy Mai has not been involved in as large-

“[Politics] affect every aspect of your life… You scale elections as Gillath and Bangalan, but instead can ignore it, but if you do, people are just going to focuses on community- and school-based involvement. make decisions for you,” senior Yoav Gillath said. “I “This year I went out for the secretary position of want to get as many people as I can involved with the Free State chapter of High School Democrats,” politics.” Mai said. In her position, she informs club members

Gillath is the president of Free State Young about important current events. “I think a lot of Democrats and was involved in the founding of [Politics] affect every people are motivated, with this being an election year, Kansas Young Democrats. aspect of your life… to come and learn.” He also serves as the Regional Director for the You can ignore it, but Gillath, Mai and Bangalan are involved Second Congressional District of Kansas High if you do, people are in politics in different ways, but share the same School Democrats. just going to make passion. Because of these experiences, Gillath was decisions for you. “Both of my parents are immigrants from recruited to get even more Vietnam and a lot of my involved in politics. This year he worked on a state other family members are immigrants too,” Mai said. representative campaign, a congress campaign in “We are pretty affected by what gets talked about.” Iowa and a voter-to-voter project through Douglas Bangalan’s passion goes beyond social media. County Democrats. “We can complain about Trump on Twitter and

Senior Braiden Bangalan has also been involved in go on with our lives,” Bangalan said. “But these are larger elections. actual issues, actual pressing problems.”

Bangalan phone banks for Barbara Bollier’s senate Overall, Gillath, Mai and Bangalan pushed other campaign and is a student ambassador for the same students to get involved. Iowa campaign that Gillath works with. He also is “Just start volunteering, start being interested and the Assistant Director for the Second Congressional most importantly, vote,” Gillath said. District of Kansas High School Democrats and the

I voted in Douglas County I voted in Douglas County I voted in Douglas County I voted in Douglas County

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pages by Hannah De Guzman story by Mary Kate Shultz illustration by Gus Cordova

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I voted in Douglas County I voted in Douglas County