St. Petersburg High hit the big time when the Young Democrats lured the former U.S. Attorney General to speak.
By JARED GOLDBERG-LEOPOLD
Published March 3, 2004
ST. PETERSBURG - For months the election year political debate has echoed through the national media and office water cooler conversations. Now, the debate has made its way into the halls of St. Petersburg High School.
Sure, most students won't be able to enter the polls Nov. 2. But the political excitement has reached the teen crowd, with high school Democratic and Republican clubs sprouting in recent months.
The high school debate reached a new level Saturday when the St. Petersburg High Young Democrats brought in former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno to speak in the school's auditorium.
"I heard people around the school going, "Oh, is Janet Reno coming? That's so cool,"' said Hayley Fink, the co-founder of the Young Democrats club.
Fink, 17, established the club in the fall to encourage students to get involved in the political debate. Now the club has grown to 30 students, who meet at least once a month to plan Democratic activities.
After a few months of organization and voter registration drives, the club managed to score Reno as a guest speaker. The former gubernatorial candidate addressed about 150 people - high schoolers, elected officials and community members - focusing her remarks on the importance of youth participation and her experience in the Clinton White House.
"What the students at St. Pete said to me was, we got together and we suddenly decided we could do something and we could make a difference," Reno said Saturday, as she stood on stage next to the Democratic club's officers.
"In about five to 10 years, I expect to be told that I should come out to Pinellas County and campaign for some of you."
Reno said she was encouraged by the number of students who have participated in politics as a result of the presidential campaign.
Even some high school Republicans were excited by Reno's visit. Torrey Martinez, a senior at St. Petersburg High School, said he is a Republican but was impressed by Reno's speech. Although Martinez, 18, belongs to the high school Republican club, he said he was glad to see the Democrats succeed.
"They just came together beautifully, they're so well organized," said Martinez. He said many teens were motivated by the close 2000 election to find ways to promote youth issues.
"The young people are the ones who are going to be living in this world," said Martinez, who one day hopes to run for president. "I need to have my voice."
Although she has different political beliefs, Fink agreed on the importance of involving students in the political debate. A board member of Pinellas County Young Democrats, Fink was inspired to start a group at the high school. With the support of high school administrators, the club started in September with seniors Fink and Beverley Barr, 18, as co-presidents.
Soon after, the Republicans followed.
Fink's mother, Lisa, a Pinellas County Democratic activist, suggested to Reno that she speak to the new high school group. The attorney general happily obliged.
"She's always done things to help kids and I know she's very excited about this," Lisa Fink said of Reno. "I think it's good for kids to get involved in the process."
