As much as teenagers think that posting an Instagram story about an issue will help, chances are most people are just skipping over it. 

Most high schoolers aren’t old enough to vote, so they may think that their voice doesn’t matter. While the political world can be intimidating, that doesn’t mean students should stay away from it. 

Students may need a little bit of guidance when they step into politics. They may think they are educated on everything, but there is a lot they probably don’t know. Teenagers that want to make a change or become politically involved should research both sides of the political parties, listen to debates, and educate themselves based on what they believe, not what is trending. 

Some options to learn more about politics would be attending town halls, school board meetings, or even city council meetings. These types of meetings focus on local issues. This will educate students on what is impacting their community.

Another option is to tackle issues that are directly relevant to ones high school. Starting at the high school level is a great start to learning the basics of politics. To start out, it is important to get informed about how the school system is governed. Find out who is on the school board and what kinds of decisions they make. 

When one reaches a strong knowledge base, the next step is to reach out to local groups that are working on educational issues. This could be the high school’s PTA. Ask them what can be done to help with these issues.

If passionate about a specific issue, calling or writing to a local congressperson is not a bad idea. Reaching out to local leaders is something all students can do if they want their viewpoint considered. Regardless of age, anyone can reach out to legislatures and share their perspectives. 

To prepare for a deeper involvement in politics in the future, it is important to stay informed and to keep learning using reliable sources. Keeping up with the news and considering where one gets information from are both things to remember to pay attention to. 

A main focus when jumping into the political world is to learn to discuss and debate issues with maturity and respect. Everyone has their strong opinions, but it is important to remember that other people might have different views. Agreeing will not always happen when it comes to peers‘ opinions, but it is important to respect all viewpoints and have good communication skills when debating.