PLATFORM : Youthful Model

What turned me on to Clinton was his appearance on MTV. Bush has made no effort to appeal to young people, but Clinton was willing to answer questions raised by all different kinds of kids my age.

Watching him, I thought of J.F.K. My mother was a teenager when Kennedy was President. He used to campaign all over the country, she said, shaking hands with regular people.

Clinton had a difficult childhood. His stepfather was an alcoholic, but he worked hard, struggled to pay for his education and was determined to go to Georgetown University. Maybe that’s why he values education more.

I can identify with some of his struggle. My parents couldn’t afford to send me to a four-year university. I have two brothers. Money is tight. Like a lot of my friends, my parents make too much money to qualify for financial aid but can’t take on the entire burden of financing my education.

Success in school used to be a matter of what you know. Now it’s what you can pay. Soon it’s going to become the American Dream instead of a fundamental human right.

It has been very exciting working on the campaign. Last week, my 10-year-old brother asked, “Won’t you be disappointed if Clinton loses?” I said, “Whatever happens, the fact that I’ve tried to change something means that it wasn’t in vain.”