Urbana high schoolers learn civic engagement through primary forum
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Around 187,000 18-year-olds throughout Illinois are eligible to vote for the first time this election cycle. Urbana High School wanted to ensure they showed their newest adults exactly how to do it.
They held a primary candidate forum at the school Thursday afternoon, where people running for office in Illinois explained the importance of civic engagement.
“To really kind of get as many students voting in this election as possible,” said Levi Molenhour, the Social Studies Department Chair who organized the event.
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Urbana High School students spent an afternoon learning how to participate in this year’s election season. Seniors and juniors listened to some of the candidates vying to serve them.
“Students, especially young voters, don’t often think that voting is important, but we really want to kind of empower them to actually get out and vote,” Molenhour added.
The event was put together with the help of students. Molenhour emphasized that civic participation goes hand-in-hand with education.
“With a lot of these positions, students really don’t know what these people actually do,” he said, “and I think, without this event, maybe they just go and check boxes next to names based upon an ‘R’ or a ‘D.’ But what I really want is for students to know what these positions do.”
They heard from three candidates for Champaign County Coroner and two for the 13th District House seat.
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“We know that voting is a habit. It’s a very important habit. But if you don’t start early, people frequently don’t vote later in life. And so to get people engaged early and to say, ‘Wait a minute, people think we matter’ [is important] because they do matter,” candidate Thomas Clatterbuck said.
The forum aimed to inform new voters and give them the tools to make their voices heard.
“We’re really trying to do everything we can to answer every question that students may have so that they really don’t have an excuse not to get out and vote on Election Day,” Molenhour said.
Organizers reported fantastic turnout with about 450 students present, and they plan to hold another forum this fall for the general election.
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