Teens & POLITICS By Aimée O’Grady he 2012 election was historic for the Piedmont Region. The Virginia State Board of Elections reports that Fauquier County saw 83% active voter turnout; Culpeper and Prince William counties saw 78% and 80% active voter turnouts, respectively. Total voter turnout, which includes voters who do not vote in a majority of elections, was 70% in Culpeper, 76% in Fauquier, and 71% in Prince William. Our community has its pulse on the issues griping the nation, from healthcare to unemployment to the housing crisis; we have not been exempt from the downturn of the economy. Our voting residents turned out in record numbers to elect the candidate they felt would steer this country in the right direction. In four short years, we will be back at the polls, and today’s teenagers will be standing in line with us. It’s important to get our children engaged in politics now so come election year, they can cast their vote with a firm foundation concerning the issues at hand. Young Voter Diversity CIRCLE, the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, indicates the diversity of today’s young voters: • 46 million young people were eligible to vote in the 2012 election.      T 21% of all voters are ages 18-29. • Since the 2008 election, 17 million young people are newly eligible to vote. • In the state of Virginia alone, 59% of voters ages 18-29 turned out to cast a ballot. On Election Day 2012, The Huffington Post ran a slideshow indicating the concerns teenagers had during the 2012 election. Among the issues were unemployment, education, climate change, healthcare, national defense, gun control, women’s rights, freedom of belief, foreign policy, and many others. Since children tend to model themselves after their parents, political opinions included, it is important that we set positive examples for children within our community to become involved in politics and learn about the issues at hand. Youth Representation at National Conventions Evan Draim, from Mount Vernon, Virginia, was the youngest delegate at the 2012 Republican National Convention. In an article that ran in the Washington Post last August, Draim says he views it as his responsibility to give back to the country that provided opportunities to his grandparents when they arrived in the United States after World War II, having fled Soviet oppression in •                 Beechwood Farm Rixeyville, VA www.beechwoodfarm.org 6th Annual Summer Day Camps include horse-related activities, basic riding instruction, educational centers, guest speakers, and demonstrations. Hosted in conjunction with the Rixeyville Riders Horse and Pony 4-H Club. Camps are offered to children ages 6-14. $195.00. Robin Lanham rixey@msn.com 540-937-3208 Hungary. “I want to make sure the American dream that helped my ancestors is there for future generations of immigrants and graduating students,” he said. The youngest delegate at the Democratic National Convention was Andrea Walton from Gibson County, Indiana. She first became involved in politics in middle school when then-presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton visited her hometown. Her political fire was fanned when she served as a page in the U.S. House of Representatives for two summers. Volunteer Opportunities Reasons for political involvement are as varied Teens & Politics continued on page 12 2013 • Issue 2 Piedmont Family Magazine 11