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Teresa Heinz Kerry’s Tips For Speaking Up About What Matters
Speaking up about public issues can feel intimidating, especially for young people who assume political conversations belong to adults. Teresa Heinz Kerry’s…
Why Kerry’s Foreign Policy Spoke To Young Voters
In the 2004 presidential election, foreign policy was no longer a distant subject discussed only by diplomats and newspaper editors. The Iraq War, debates over…
The History of Youth Involvement in Presidential Elections
Young people have long influenced presidential politics, even when they were too young to cast a ballot. They have distributed campaign literature, joined…
Create a 2004-style campaign poster for a history project
A campaign poster can reveal how political messages were shaped for a particular time, audience, and medium. For a classroom or family activity connected to…
What Does It Mean to Be a Good Citizen?
Being a good citizen is often reduced to voting, following laws, or knowing the names of public officials. Those responsibilities matter, but civic character…
How Families Can Talk About Presidential Elections Together
A presidential election can give families a meaningful reason to discuss government, public policy, leadership, and community life. Children often notice…
The Day I Met John Kerry: A Young Supporter’s Memory
I was young enough to believe that politics happened somewhere far away, inside television studios and government buildings. The 2004 election changed that…
A Kid’s Guide To Hosting A Voter Registration Drive
A voter registration drive helps eligible citizens take one practical step toward participating in elections. Young people may not be old enough to register…
Why John Kerry Believed in Protecting America’s Clean Air and Water
John Kerry’s environmental message during the 2004 presidential campaign connected national policy with everyday experiences. Clean air meant fewer health…
The core issues of the 2004 election explained for young readers
The 2004 United States presidential election took place during a time of war, fear, economic change, and strong political disagreement. Republican President…