May 2006

South High School Community:

The Engaged Citizenship project is an extensive research project conducted by Downers Grove South students that will attempt to research what the voting patterns and overall participation of recent graduates are and why. This research is student- led and teacher facilitated. Some goals of the project are to distribute surveys and collect data asking recent graduates to assist us in the conclusion process.

As many of us are aware, the voting trends and community involvement of 18-29 year-olds is significantly lower than comparable age groups in this area. Statistics show that of the eligible voters, one fifth of those voters are 18-29 year olds. Unfortunately, trends have shown that even amongst being urged to "vote or die", 18-29 year olds did not vote in high numbers in the 2004 Presidential Election. The same results were seen at Downers Grove South High School in 2004 for their high school mock election. Freshman voted significantly more than seniors and other upperclassmen. Why are young people so uninvolved when it comes to voting and community participation and what can be done about it on a local level? This is just one of the many questions Downers Grove South Engaged Citizenship Project hopes to answer.

As a project based in the community, we are asking for support and assistance. Written support helps our legitimacy, and financial support allows students to run this research endeavor.

We look to community leaders and businesses for their support. Having just begun this project we look for support in all forms available. Financial support to our project would be greatly appreciated. The aid contributed will be contributed back into the community through youth involvement. Please help us to discover importance of being an engaged citizen as we try to encourage others to do the same. If unable to contribute to our project, please feel free to direct us to others who may further help us.

Once again, Thank You.
Sincerely,
Your Fellow Engaged Citizens
Mr. Bruesch, Social Studies Teacher