Eastern Kentucky University has received a $10,000 grant to involve high school students in urging eligible voters to participate in the November elections.

EKU is serving as the Kentucky coordinator for Freedom's Answer, a national non-partisan campaign to increase voter turnout. Dr. JoAnn Ewalt, interim chair of EKU's Department of Government, and Dr. Kendra Stewart, a professor in the Department, under the auspices of the Department's Institute of Government, are directing an effort to contact high schools throughout the Commonwealth to urge their participation.

"One of the most important actions citizens can take in response to last Sept. 11 (2001) is to demonstrate through voting that we treasure our democracy and our right to participate in the democratic process," Ewalt said.

According to Stewart, the project has been endorsed by national, state and local education associations, school principal associations, the Newspaper Association of America, MTV, and other educational, political and media groups.

Because only a small majority of high school students are eligible to vote, Stewart pointed out, the campaign's objective is two-prong: "to prepare them for when they have the opportunity to vote and to encourage them to go home and out into the community and urge their family members and other adults to vote. Then, our hope is that in a year or two they will practice what they preach."

The EKU team, which also includes Graduate Assistant Brian Miniard, has sent letters to all school principals in the Commonwealth and is following up with phone calls and, in some cases, visits. Through Oct. 11, enlisted participants stretched from Cumberland High School in extreme Eastern Kentucky to Lone Oak High School near Paducah.

Other participants include: Madisonville-North Hopkins High School, Madison Southern High School, Covington Holmes High School, Northern Elementary, Muhlenberg South High School, Conner High School, Caldwell County High School, Madison Central High School, Bullitt Central High School, Rockcastle County High School, Muhlenberg North High School, Harlan High School, Russellville High School, Covington Holy Cross High School, Ohio County High School, Estill County Middle School, Marion County High School, Wayne County High School and Evarts High School.

The goal is to enlist at least 25 percent of the Commonwealth's high schools in the campaign.
For more information about Freedom's Answer, call Stewart at 859-622-4390 or visit www.freedomsanswer.net.