BRI Student Wows With Op-Ed on Civic Engagement

America’s students will inherit the leadership of our country one day. 

And we need to build a culture of respect that includes all generations in discussions on the pressing issues facing our nation. 

That was the message delivered by Norfolk, VA, student Jacob Johnson, who recently had an op-ed titled “Young people should be more included in American politics” published in the Virginian-Pilot and its network of community newspapers. 

The Virginian-Pilot is the largest daily newspaper in Virginia. 

Johnson, a junior at Maury High School in Norfolk, recently participated in the Bill of Rights Institute’s prestigious, week-long Constitutional Academy in Washington, D.C. 

In addition to attending lectures, meeting Congressional representatives, and visiting some of the most historic sities in our nation’s capital, students were asked to write an opinion piece about an issue they are passionate about. 

They had to thoroughly research a topic and demonstrate an ability to practice civil discourse. 

Johnson is particularly interested in ensuring that young people are civically engaged and that their voices are heard as America debates issues that could have an impact on their future. 

“We should strive to be an intergenerational democracy that includes the perspectives and views of all of its citizens,” Johnson wrote. 

Creating a high-functioning intergenerational democracy also requires young people to appreciate the experiences of older generations, Johnson argued. 

“Recognizing that wars, segregation and drugs were all issues older generations faced helps me to respect their experiences,” Johnson wrote. “This helps build a road to a more open dialogue and bridges the gap between their experience and mine.”

As Johnson and his fellow Constitutional Academy students visited Congressional representatives, Johnson was surprised that elected officials didn’t feel like they were hearing from young people enough. That’s something he would like to change. 

“As young people who often feel unheard, we sometimes fail to recognize that our leaders are longing to hear our voices,” Johnson wrote. “Through my visits on Capitol Hill I've discovered that the most effective mode of involvement is being present in their forums of discussion. An example of this would be showing up and voicing our opinions at our local school board and city council meetings. We often don't understand the full scope of how local government affects our lives.”

To read Johnson’s full op-ed, you can click here (email registration may be required). You can learn more about the Bill of Rights Institute’s Constitutional Academy here