High School Leaders
The Democracy Matters High School Leaders Program is an internship for high school students. Interns raise awareness at their school about voting, democracy, and social justice issues. Supported by DM staff and DM materials, interns develop leadership and organizing skills including outreach, public speaking, and writing. Interns receive a certificate of achievement and a letter from Democracy Matters to send to colleges and universities of their choice. Being a high school advocate is a first step towards becoming a paid DM intern in college. More than one student can become a DM Leader at their school.
DM Leader goals:
- Find a faculty advisor who can supervise and sign off on your progress. The faculty advisor will be an ally in your efforts, helping you organize other faculty and students in putting together successful campaigns.
- Organize an assembly and/or class focused on the issue of money in politics and/or voting rights by bringing in a guest speaker (activists, elected official, etc.), or screening a movie followed by a discussion.
- Write a two-page research paper outlining the ways in which voting or money in politics influences an issue of your choice (environment, healthcare, national defense, civil rights, etc.)
- Coordinate a group of students to do school or neighborhood outreach programs to educate people about the problems and solutions to getting big money out of politics and people back in.
Leader Resources:
- A subscription to the Democracy Matters monthly E-News.
- Materials and supplies needed for your campaigns (pins, movies, flyers, stickers, etc.)
- Support and guidance from a Democracy Matters Field Organizer.
Don’t wait until college to become politically active! Become an effective leader and advocate for change. Help revolutionize our democracy by getting big money out of politics and putting the voices of the citizens back in.
Student Testimonials
We can point to environmental concerns to show the connection between campaign contributions from industry and weak environmental policy. Every time you look at the opponents of environmental protection, you see major donors to political campaigns.
Democracy Matters has opened my eyes and shown me that I can truly be an effective activist and make a difference.
There is a huge problem with our democracy. Voting rights and public campaign financing are important answers. Democracy Matters dispenses the resources and guidance to students in order for them to fix it..