Investing in our Youth...Literally

By: doctormatt06
Published On: 6/15/2006 2:41:52 PM

Today I will be blogging about a topic that is near and dear to my heart.  Promoting and investing in the young democrats who will be the future of our party.  I find it so odd that it seems we hear so much about how the republicans will train their minions from high school onwards and give them lucrative oppurtunities.  While on the other hand, oppurtunities in the young democratic sphere seems somewhat limited.  The republicans have scholarships, paid internships, paid positions in their college clubs, they even have freaking perks!!

Well I was sick of this, so I came up for an idea in the Fairfax County Young Democrats, and I wanted to see what you my fellow bloggers thought.
I'm of the opinion (and I have the support of a good portion of the Young Democrats of Fairfax) that we should offer two or three scholarships to Democratic Youth in Fairfax County.  To show them that they are appreciated and that their work is valued too.  The plan goes a little something like this:

We offer two or three scholarships
Plan A:
1 $500.00
1 $250.00

Plan B:
3 $250.00

We wiii hold an essay contest in November among any fairfax county young democrat (I think Junior or Senior)
about why they are a democrat, and where do they see the democratic party in the future.

Then we take the best 5 or 10 essays, and call them in for interviews, and see what they are like in terms of being strong democrats, being activists, being model citizens, helping the community..etc..etc..

Then we shall have either three equal winners or one grand winner and one second place winner and have a big ceremony in the spring...

I feel that giving these students who after this process can only be considered strong, loyal, and activist democrats a little something (even just this small pittance..cuz let's be honest school is EXPENSIVE!!!) to me is a great idea, because sometimes I think we want to work on making our young democrats feel like we are active in supporting them and in helping them as much as they have helped us (through campaigns and grunt work)

So tell me what ya think?
If you're interested in donating or if you're a teacher who has a good analytical eye and maybe could help those of us who aren't superb at the minutae of reading essays (cough...teacherken..cough) and would like to help with our scholarship fund

Feel free to email me at doctormatt06@yahoo.com
Thanks everybody for taking the time to read this

-Matt-

Comments



my ears were burning (teacherken - 6/15/2006 6:35:09 PM)
and now I know why.  It isn't enough that I teach 6 classes totalling around 160-180 students, that I am doing educ policy now for about 18 candidates, that I just finished doing the educ panel at yearlykos, that I am having trouble finding time to blog, you want me to take something else one?

Okay, except I do not live or teach in Fairfax.  You might be better off finding a teacher who does one or the other, and thus has a more justifiable reason for the participation.  Methinks if you check around, you will find several Fairfax teachers actively supporting Webb.



Hah.. (doctormatt06 - 6/15/2006 11:45:48 PM)
I know..i was just teasin ya!!!!

=OP