How To Be A Better Activist And Citizen In Your Community. | Teen Ink

How To Be A Better Activist And Citizen In Your Community.

March 12, 2012
By Cerberus SILVER, Middletown, Ohio
Cerberus SILVER, Middletown, Ohio
8 articles 3 photos 10 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Be a leader, not a follower."


In our world today it is hard for a high school student in lower classes such as freshman, sophomore, or juniors to be heard by adults because they still see us as kids since we can’t vote. Well, what if I told you that there was a way for us to vote? No, it doesn’t involve some sort of time travel, ageing machine, or any of that science fiction story stuff. Yet, what you could do is write a story or essay that expresses your views on issues that are currently in congress or government for a local newspaper and see if they can publish it for you. Then still if nobody will publish you then try magazines. Still no luck yet? Well hope isn’t out yet but it does now involve a lot of work on your part. After several failed attempts at being published another option would be walking around your city or even neiborhood and passing out flyers while expressing your views to passing bystanders. No place is ever too small to start at. Yet while doing so I wouldn’t stop trying to get published though. The newspaper and magazines are a great way to reach people all around the city. Plus who knows, maybe with you working at what you believe in you might make it on the news! Also if you see somebody in need while standing and handing out flyers, whether they are a stranger or someone you know, then go and help them. Maybe they would listen to what you have to say when done. Then if not, at least you did a good deed for someone in need. Another great way to make a change is to go around with a group of friends and have people sign a petition saying they agree with your cause and what you want to change, but to do it this way means you would have to get the majority of the section you’re trying to change. For example you would need 3/4ths of the state’s population if you were trying to change a state rule or 3/4ths of the nation’s population if you wanted to change a national rule.Now if you’re not the political type of high school student then you can always keep things local by being a good citizen and by maybe helping clean up the community by picking up litter and recycling it or maybe cleaning people’s houses for them if they are injured or elderly. Another way to be a great citizen if you’re a great artist or just creative is to maybe get a group of people and paint the town a town mural. There are plenty of things you could do for your community I am sure of it. Also finding ways to save your city money is definitely a big plus seeing as how they could use it on bigger and better things like education and better water purification. There are a few other ways left to help your community and these I have done myself and are very rewarding. You could help a local hospital do something special for their patients, for example I made valentines for kids who had cancer. Or maybe something small like helping hospitals repaint. Another thing you could do is go to another local charity that you think has a great cause and help them in any way possible. Help them raise awareness, restock supplies, or just donate to them. And last but not least, something you could really do is get your entire community together a build a playground that has swings, slides, benches, etc.…The whole nine yards and build it in just a day or two. These are all wonderful ways you could be a good activist and a good citizen in your community.


The author's comments:
it was an assignment that i really liked and did for my government class. The goal was to see what teens before the age of 18 could do in their communities and in government.

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