Even Teens Too Young to Vote Are Speaking Out

Candidates Hear From Youth Through My2CentsForChange.org; Eight Leading Youth Advocacy Organizations including BBYO, Youth Service America, YouthNoise and DoSomething Partner on Site

WASHINGTON, March 19 2008

This week, the presidential candidates will be receiving more than 1,500 comments on their desks -- all from 13-17 year olds -- discussing strong opinions on gay marriage, Iraq, homelessness, global warming and more.

The comments are courtesy of a new site, My2CentsForChange.org, which aims to give teens of all backgrounds a voice in the upcoming election. With the Facebook and YouTube generation positioned to make an enormous impact this November, the trend has trickled down, and teens who are not yet old enough to vote still want to have their say.

"I may not be able to vote this year, but the future president will have a major impact on me regardless," said Gabbi Baker, 16, from Columbia, SC. "Most important, this election determines who will be on the ballot for when I am able to vote in 2012. Teens are realizing more and more that there is reason to care."

Through My 2 Cents for Change, teens add their thoughts on the issues they feel most passionate about, from education and healthcare to war and genocide. The animated site features links for teens to find out more information on the issues and candidates before directing them to "give their 2 cents," which the site then bundles and sends to the presidential candidates of the teens' choice.

And the teens' reward for giving their 2 cents? Change.

"My 2 Cents for Change is the perfect platform to engage teens from across the country to feel as though their say matters," said Joey Bendah, 16, from Las Vegas, NV. "And we have a lot to say."

In addition to serving as a forum for teens to express their opinions, My 2 Cents was designed as a catalyst for more on-the-ground teen involvement. Public schools across the country are using the site as a tool for teachers to expose their students to the issues at stake during this year's election.

The site is sponsored by BBYO, a leading Jewish teen movement committed to cross-cultural dialogue, youth empowerment and civic engagement, in partnership with several advocacy organizations including Youth Service America, DoSomething, YouthNoise, Generation Engage, Project Vote Smart, 18in08 and Moblize.org.

"My 2 Cents was developed because our teens expressed a sincere desire to have a voice in political matters," said Matthew Grossman, Executive Director of BBYO. "As an organization which has been committed to developing future leaders for more than 80 years, BBYO felt obligated to help all teens be heard in the upcoming election."

For more information, visit http://www.my2centsforchange.org

Source: BBYO