Child: “Mom/Dad why should I vote?”
Parent: ”hmmmm….”
As parents we always want to have an insightful and profound answer – right?
After all they are asking a question about one of our greatest rights as American citizens.
And a more ENGAGED community is what citizens said they wanted through the Imagine Brownsville planning process.
So how do you respond? . . .
How can all of us, together, inspire 100% of our next generation to vote?
How to Answer That Question on An Individual and Personal Basis
As parents one of our challenges in answering this question is responding to our traditionally low voter turnout in both Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley.
In 2011, Brownsville had approximately 82,000 registered voters but only about 9,800 turned out for the May local election. Tweet This
So to overcome this you must make it a personal connection. Here are some things you can do as individuals.
- Share your family story of how/why ancestors came to America
- Let them wear you “I VOTED” sticker to school
- Read together the Bill of Rights
- Discuss a local issue
- Share with them why you are voting and take them with you to vote.
How to Answer that Question As Part of a Community: Kids Voting USA-Brownsville
Kids Voting USA-Brownsville is a non-profit that represents a community partnership between the local public entities, the University of Texas at Brownsville’s Center for Civic Engagement and local area public and private schools.
Their programs work to support parents efforts by embedding elements of civic engagement within the school curriculum.
These efforts teaches students, beginning at kindergarten and continuing on through high school, the basics of responsible citizenship in a free society.
This work is truly a community based effort and requires local support. In response key, partners have come together to provided an annual fundraiser – The 1st Annual Corporate Commuinty Spelling Bee,.
3-person teams will compete for a traveling trophy as local supporters cheer them on for a good cause.
So which of these will you do?
- Share your story of how you would answer the question in the comments below.
- Also, learn how you can participate in the Corporate Community Spelling Bee – with proceeds benefiting Kids Voting Brownsville. Contact Estela Martinez by email civicengagement at utb.edu.
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