At Millard South, young people interested in politics have many opportunities to get together and discuss issues and events. Two student led clubs where they can do that are High School Republicans and Young Democrats.
“I think that it is very important for young people to be interested in politics because it shapes how they view the world and understand complex events,” Tanner Pilkenton, President of the High School Republicans said.
Written on the Nebraska State Capital is the phrase ‘The Salvation Of the State is Watchfulness in the Citizen’. Roosevelt Wilken, president of the Young Democrats referenced this quote as he explained the importance of taking an interest in politics.
“I think that in our type of government all of our power comes from the people, so we need our people to be informed and engaged and not just outraged, [and not just] engaged in a social media way, but actually thinking about the world that they live in and how they can make that world better,” Wilken said.
Both Wilken and Pilkenton said their clubs aim to create a space where people can freely express their thoughts and opinions.
“The [goal] of the club [is] to provide a space for people to talk about politics, not necessarily from a Republican point of view, but more of a focus on what Republicans are doing,” Pilkenton said.
Wilken said that Young Democrats is not just a club for people to agree with everything that Democrats have to say.
“A lot of the people who show up actually aren’t Democrats but they just want a place to talk, so it’s much more about having open conversation [and] feeling like you have a place to talk where you can express that civic obligation of political discourse,” Wilken said.
The Young Democrats club came about fairly recently (as of last year). The club was formed when Wilken, who is close friends with former High School Republicans president Kolby Cameron, realized that Millard South had a Republicans club but no Democrats club or other alternative.
“You, sort of in the broader world, saw kind of a political wind change, and I thought, I don’t think that there is any harm from having another political discussion club and Kolby was actually the one who sort of suggested it. It was very bipartisan from the beginning and I like to go to High School Republicans too…,” Wilken said.
Wilkon said that students who attend Young Democrats discuss many things, but usually, they discuss current events.
“Every now and then we’ll get into discussions that I really like, where you sort of talk about the roots of why things are happening and about the base civic values that you want to promote.. [for example] when and where do you have the right to freedom of speech and is this good and are you an absolutist about it…,” Wilken said.
Students who attend High School Republicans discuss current events as well.
“We mostly discuss national and global politics, with what’s going on in Minnesota and Venezuela and Greenland, there is quite a bit for us to talk about on that front. However, we do talk about some local politics…,” Pilkenton said.
The conversations at these meetings are very casual.
“The discussions are very casual, I usually don’t say much except introduce the topic. I hope that people will have a place to talk about politics without the fear of being ostracized or starting any arguments over their beliefs,” Pilkenton said.
Wilken said he hopes that people who attend Young Democrats will be able to gain an understanding of what other people think as well as share their own thoughts.
“…I hope that people leave that space thinking ‘I was able to say what I think’,” Wilken said.
In order to find out more about politics, people can attend meetings as well as visit outside organizations.
“…I can give [people] contacts with some of the organizers and leaders in political groups outside of school where [people can] attend rallies and go to speeches,” Pilkenton said.
Wilken suggested Civics Nebraska as a resource.
“I highly suggest Civics Nebraska; they are a non-partisan non profit. Their whole job is just to engage students, it’s not [to] engage them this direction or that direction. It’s more about celebrating what makes Nebraska interesting as a state…,” Wilken said. People can also learn more by talking to their friends, peers, and teachers, Wilken said.
Feeling like you can voice your opinions can make a big difference.
“Just feel like you can speak your mind and if you believe [that] you can speak your mind then you’ll be able to,” Wilken said.
Both High School Republicans and Young Democrats meet once a month and information about meeting dates and locations can be found by following each group on Instagram.
