1. Clearly define the platform issue to which you are sincerely committed and for which you will be an activist during your year of service.

• As an American citizen, we are given certain freedoms that others struggle and die trying to obtain. One of those liberties is our right to vote. At the age of eighteen, every citizen of this country has the power to choose who will represent us in our government. It is important that we all exercise this right. To encourage voting practices, we must start at a young age. By educating the youth of America about the election process and giving them a chance to participate, we can create a lifelong pattern of voting.

2. What, if any, are your most significant accomplishments to date in regard to your platform issue?

• I have been interested in this issue since high school. For three consecutive years, I was chosen to participate in Kidsvention, a televised debate with other teens. This program was part of a larger one, called Kids Voting USA. This nationwide movement strives to enhance education and provide youth with an actual voting experience at the official polls. Since then, I have lectured hundreds of students and motivated them to become lifetime voters. Every year children come to the polls full of interest and excitement. We need to work to inspire that enthusiasm through adulthood. My activism on the collegiate level has expanded to voter registration drives and various University sponsored voter awareness campaigns. Our University at Buffalo's affiliation with MTV's Rock the Vote program also targets 18-24 year olds, who have the lowest voter turnout of all. Our mantra: It's time to make voting cool!

3. What do you wish to accomplish during your year of service as an activist for your platform?

• Educating children about voting should be expanded. Children learn by watching and doing. We should make it a tradition for parents to bring their children to the polls. In the last presidential election, less than 50% of the voting age population expressed their rights. By instilling children with voting practices, we can greatly increase that number. I would also like to expand the Rock the Vote programs on our state's college campuses and also share the successful model of Kids Voting Western New York in communities across New York State, to inspire, encourage and educate children and young adults about our government and its election process.