Making sure your students are registered to vote just got a little sweeter. Since high schools are the center of life for almost all teenagers, what more perfect place could there be to ensure they are jumping into civic life with a bang? Some take this calling more seriously than others, and the ones that do are rightfully rewarded. High schools that promote a culture of civic engagement in Arizona are recognized by the Department of Education for their critical efforts to “sustain and strengthen the values that define the United States” for each generation. In Nevada and Colorado, high schools with “at least 85 percent of eligible students in the senior class registered to vote” receive an award!
Has your high school reached this mark? If not, there are plenty of ways to get started. For example, you can encourage clubs to hold registration drives, pass out voter registration forms in social studies classes, and post a link to the Secretary of State’s office on your school website. The possibilities are endless, and there is no better time to get going.
For more information about these awards and recognition, please see Arizona’s Excellence in Civic Engagement, Nevada’s Helen J. Stewart Award, and Colorado’s Eliza Pickrell Routt Award.