Political Observation- Envelope Project

The two above pictures are of some of the residents who I helped with typing the letters. Above: Joyce Green. Below: Bob Cochran.

They were very happy that I was willing to help them, and impressed that a teenager would take the time to do so.

This is my morning face...
I used my computer to type a letter for the residents at Pioneer to personalize and then mail to the governor, Councilwoman Williams, and the state land commissioner.

This is the letter that the residents at Pioneer received when they heard the news that they face the possibility of eviction. I am smiling because by the end of the day, albeit a long one, I was able to turn this negative letter into a positive experience- I helped them communicate their needs to the officeholders they elected, and the day ended with a very fulfilling feeling of accomplishment.

Brainstorming ideas for the letter, we decided to focus upon: a) the benefit of Pioneer RV Resort to the surrounding community, b) the service that the residents at Pioneer have given to the state of Arizona and to the country (as teachers, firefighers, policemen, veterans, etc), and c) the fact that instituting a park or "other commercial enterprise" is not a justifiable reason for evicting elderly persons. The letter progressed throughout the day, and was approved by Chip Jordan, the Resort's manager. It received favorable reveiws from the residents as well.

Political Panel

A few hours before the panel began, we created a table of the candidates and their party affiliation, which included a picture of each (excluding the Green party candidate, who we could not find a picture of). This table underwent many, many stages before we achieved the final product. All of us worked diligently in various ways to prepare before the panel.

The stage for the panel looked very professional and patriotic- thanks to Mr. Huff for helping us with lighting and microphones. Frank and I are behind the podium at the left of the picture, and the two candidates who were able to attend the entire panel are sitting at the long black table.

The hours in the career center preparing did not pass by quickly...they were very useful, however, in making the last-minute preparations for the panel.

Three heads are better than one... Ty and Frank helped me with the formatting of the table. It was difficult to format at some points because the information could only take up half of the sheet of paper. At this point, however, we had gathered the information and had only to compile it. Again, this increased experience with ironing out technological problems will help us in college.

This is a partial picture of the team that worked in the career center before the panel to prepare. We all had specific roles and responsibilities, and had to work as a team. If we had shirked our duties, the panel would not have been a success. A lot of teamwork and cooperative skills were developed here.

Panel Preparation

We worked in the library, where I used a computer to research the candidates and then write concise biographies about them to be read at the panel. Although only two candidates were able to attend the panel, we wrote the biographies on all of them. The biographies of the absent candidates were read anyways, to better inform the audience.

We deliberated over the introduction sentences, because we had never conducted a panel before. In the end, the introduction was semi-formal, welcoming the audience and then proceeding to introduce the candidates. As with most things, small pieces of this introductory material had to be re-written right before the panel began, because some of the candidates could not stay for the entire panel.

Ryne and Brandon spent a lot of time writing the questions in a way that was both unbiased and informative. The claims in the questions were well-supported by recent articles and statistics, and the panel was more successful because of this.

Frank thinks about the introduction material, which he also helped write. Frank was also a co-host with me, as we read the introduction, bios, and questions together during the panel.

It seems like a small task to write the "script" for a panel, but it required hours of work from all of us. However, it also taugt us the methods to write in an unbiased and appropriately formal style, which will prove invaluable in college.

Football Game- Flyer Distribution

Thankfully it wasn't too cold yet! We handed out flyers until we ran out, and for the most part people were receptive. Some asked us what we were handing out, and when we explained it to them, they responded politely. I think it surprised some of them that teenagers were taking the initiative to do this.

The people came in clumps, so we would have a few minutes of waiting and then a mob would come and we would have to hand out a bunch of flyers. Note: behind me is the Politicos cape from the Homecoming assembly.

A group of boys sort of stood in Laura and I's way... oh well, we're AP students. We must learn to get through obstacles such as these.

Laura and I pass out the remainder of our flyers. About halfway through we had to replenish our stash by getting more from Kate. It was largely a successful distribution, even though we ran short of flyers, because we gave them to almost every attendee.

This is a picture of some of the flyers we handed out. They were very informative, and it helped that they were not larger because most people probably would've found a larger flyer inconvenient to take to the game.

Explanation of Community Service

Jessica Schildt

Ms. Duquette

AP Gov/Politics

3 December 2010

                                                Explanation of Community Service

            The community service opportunities within Politicos club were concentrated on fostering voter awareness and informing the public about the upcoming elections. We distributed informative pamphlets and flyers to people attending Boulder Creek home football games, which occurred throughout September and into October. After doing this, we focused on organizing and planning our Political Panel. This involved inviting the candidates to the panel, writing questions to ask them, reserving and setting up the auditorium, and publicizing the event. We spent an afternoon doing much of this, ensuring that the candidates responded and that announcements, etc were submitted to inform the students about the panel. Short bios and introductory statements were also written for the panel, as well as unbiased, thought-provoking questions for the candidates to answer. As a co-host for the event, I read bios for the candidates (those who were present and those who were not) and read half of the questions. In these capacities, I learned useful lessons about organization, formal writing, oral articulation, and the incredible value of external political efficacy.

            In a similar way, I volunteered to participate (and partially facilitate) political observation with the elderly residents of Pioneer RV park (located off of I-17). These people have been writing letters to Governor Brewer and Councilwoman Thelda Williams (District 1), pleading with them to reconsider evicting the residents at Pioneer. I helped by typing a letter for them and printing it; they plan to send it to the Governor and Councilwoman Williams in the next few days. This experience taught me the value of brining new ideas and some elements of technology to elderly people who might not know how to utilize it. Observing their communication with the state government was inspiring, especially considering their plight.

           

Analysis of Thematic Implication

Jessica Schildt

Ms. Duquette

AP Gov/Politics

3 December 2010

                        Thematic Implications of Political Participation

            In many instances, political participation and political observation are partners in developing political efficacy. One cannot easily or effectively participate in politics without experience observing them. My community service successfully benefitted the surrounding areas because it combined both political participation and political observation; all of my activities had the common goal of increasing political awareness and communication between candidates/officeholders and the citizenry.

            Through the Politicos club, I fostered voter knowledge and involvement by distributing pamphlets about the district override funds. This was done at football games because they usually attract a large crowd of residents, and the ages vary greatly from teenagers to the elderly. Informing residents about the override increased their chances of voting, as the cause could easily have compelled them to cast their vote. Interestingly enough, the override passed with only a few hundred votes; the margin was so narrow, that it is quite possible that Politicos club’s efforts significantly affected the passing of the override. Politicos club’s final project was the hosting of the Political Panel, which was held on October 25, 2010. At this Panel, the two candidates who were present answered questions designed to inform the public about their platforms in anticipation of the impending November 2 election. I co-hosted this panel, which was an experience that put me directly on the stage with the candidates. All of Politicos club’s events instilled in me a desire to continue participating in the political process and increasing my level of political efficacy, externally and internally.

            With a similar objective in mind, I aided the residents of Pioneer RV Resort in communicating with the governor, their District 1 Councilwoman (Thelda Williams), and the state land commissioner. Typing these letters greatly helped these residents, who lack the technological knowledge to do so themselves. The purpose of their letters is to communicate the needs of the Pioneer residents to the authority that will ultimately decide whether to evict them or not. While I did partially facilitate this political communication, I also observed it as they met together and discussed details about delivering the letters, etc.

Few experiences have been so valuable to me, as well as to the community. Increasing political participation and observation among young people should be a priority of the community; these experiences solidify that statement. From my service, the community received informative pamphlets about the district override, a Political Panel that helped them know their candidates, and letters that increased awareness about the situation of the elderly at Pioneer. Beyond these tangible benefits, however, the community gained the very real hope that the next generation will take pride in America’s political process, and wholeheartedly partake in it. 

Political Participation Summative

Jessica Schildt

Ms. Duquette

AP Gov/Politics

3 December 2010

Defining Political Participation

            For many citizens, both in the United States and in the world, political participation is something that other people do. Largely lacking in personal meaning, this concept remains at a distance; whether out of distrust or indifference, political participation seems to grow in unpopularity as time passes. However, 2010 saw a different situation, at least for America. External interest in politics was proudly displayed in homes, at rallies, on television, and- eventually- on Election Day. The heightened political atmosphere in America is an excellent opportunity for citizens to learn about the value of high political efficacy, which is best obtained through political participation.

            In response to changing economic, social, and industrial times, Americans have focused much of their lives around politics. Examples include the boom of muckraking and yellow journalism in the late nineteenth/early twentieth centuries, as well as the Great Depression, the Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam War, and a few elections in the 1990s. All of these instances have a common thread: that the people increased their political efficacy- their “capacity to understand and influence political events” (“American Political Culture”) - in attempts to better their lives or the condition of the country. In most of these cases, external efficacy (that which involves using political observation to create change) was very apparent. People saw a problem, learned about the differing sides, and formed solutions that they worked hard to implement. They participated in protests (Civil Rights movement and Vietnam War), wrote about politics in media outlets (yellow journalism, muckrakers, and- much later- Walter Cronkite), and then participated in elections (the Congressional turn-overs in the 1990s). History supports political participation as a successful means for each citizen to utilize in whatever way they choose.

            The Founding Fathers would have been satisfied (regardless of the issues themselves) to see such high levels of political participation during these times in American history, although preferably, political participation would be at these levels more consistently. Notice that the earliest examples of strong, effective political observation exist in the founding of our country. The Constitution was written during a time when political participation determined the fate of the United States; citizens, observing this, would theoretically work to enhance their political efficacy. Perhaps the level of political participation existing currently will last far longer than in any other period. Regardless, it is useful for teaching Americans the value of increasing their political knowledge and awareness, and participating in the process.  

                                                            Works Cited

“American Political Culture.” Retrieved from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:Mmu2MiUyKn0J:cyfair3.schoolwires.net/195120511192830107/lib/195120511192830107/_files/AMERICAN_PARTIES_POLITICAL_CULTURE_STUDY_GUIDE.doc+%22Many+third+world+nations+have+adopted+the+American+constitutional+model,+hoping+to+institute+features+such+as+federalism,+an+elected+president,+a+bicameral+legislature,+and+separation+of+powers.%22+title+of+book%3F&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Political Activities Breakdown

My political activities encompassed two main projects:

1. Political awareness activities through Politico club
Polico club fostered political awareness in the community by distributing informational flyers regarding the District Override to attendees at BC football games. Also, Politico organized and hosted a Political Panel on October 25, 2010. I distributed flyers at the Homecoming game, as well as prepared for the Panel and co-hosted it.
2. Political communication from an elderly community to a political leader
Pioneer RV park is facing eviction of its members, all of which are elderly. In an effort to prevent this from occurring, these residents have been writing to our governor and District One's Councilwoman, Thelda Williams. My part in this endeavor consisted of typing for them and further assisting them in their efforts to save their current livelihood.

--- Contents ---
Explanation of Projects in Narrative Form:
  Politico project- pictures and description
  Communication project- pictures and description
Political Participation Summative:
  Defining Political Participation
Analysis of Thematic Implication:
  Thematic Implications of Political Participation