Teaching Kids Citizenship

Kyle Corbin has heard all the talk about political apathy among young people: that teens won't vote, that they don't care about big issues, that they refuse to get involved. He just doesn't believe it.

In 2007, when he was a freshly minted high school graduate, Corbin, then 17, was tired of the contentious political scene in his hometown of Union, Oregon (pop. 2,000). "I thought, somebody has to do something about this. Why not me?" So he ran for mayor -- and won the election. He's been so successful at creating cooperation among leaders and increasing citizen participation that he's planning his next big political move -- a bid to become a county commissioner.

Corbin's story may be unusual, but he says political awareness among teens is not. "Kids get a bad rap when it comes to political apathy. But I think we're reaching a point where young people are more interested in politics than ever," he says.

But they don't have to do it alone. Parents can make it a family affair, helping kids learn to use their political voice, which will make them feel as if they have the power to change the world -- or at least their communities. These ideas will encourage kids to get excited about the vote.