Civics Tuesday! Register to Vote! Back to School!
Civics: the study of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
This week has a lot of exciting news.
Instead of looking at news this week, we’re looking ahead to the future. “Be Prepared,” is a motto that’s inspirational and aspirational; it’s like a back-pack. If you fill it with everything you need, it would be too heavy to carry.
Pack a civics backpack with things that matter to you: your home, neighborhood, family, pets, school, community centers, faith groups. Next, police, fire-fighters, utility workers, postal carriers. Add good food, clean drinking water, and fresh air. The pack is too full and heavy to carry! The more things we have in our lives, the harder it is to manage of all of them.
Instead of putting all the things we care about and depend on into a civics back pack, we can trade many of them for elected officials who help to manage things everyone shares. Those are people we can choose by voting. Voting is both a civic right and responsibility.
Getting information before a deadline is part of being prepared. It is easier to find good information when there isn’t a rush. It is best to register to vote as soon as possible. Here are some ways to get registered to vote. (If you already registered, you can check to be sure your records are up-to-date.)
These are places with information about voter registration:
Vote411 - How to register, check registration, where to vote, and see what to vote about, and candidate debates
The Civic Center - Especially for high-school and pre-registration!
Vote.Gov US government site with how, where, when, what, and what else about voting.
Whether you’re back-to-school packing, or civics-packing, try to share the load. You can give help to others, or ask for help when you need it.
Here are some ideas and resources for finding school supplies, to fill your own needs or donate for others:
Kids in Need Foundation Free Supplies for students