Walt Townes, Executive Director Vote 18, 917.572.8934
As the anniversary of the nation’s independence approaches, adults, teens, and young children prepare for Fourth of July celebrations that include fireworks, barbecues, and trips to the beach. With so much fun to be had, there’s little time to think about the struggles that define the holiday’s origins-among them, the quest for the right to vote. Recognizing the low rates of voter turnout and voter registration among young adults, Vote 18, a non-profit, non-partisan organization, has created a curriculum designed to encourage voter registration. The curriculum, recently adopted by the New York City public schools, involves role playing, beginning with the colonial period under King George III through the adoption of the 26th Amendment, which gave 18 year olds the right to vote. The curriculum also includes mock elections in an effort to encourage students to become invested in the electoral process. On Tues., June 27 (8:30-11:30 a.m.), the organization will be filming the role playing that makes up the curriculum in order to distribute the curriculum nationally. Representatives from Vote 18 and participating students will be available to describe the origins and significance of the curriculum.
- WHO: Vote 18, NYU’s Steinhardt School of Education
- WHAT: Filming of Voting Curriculum
- WHEN: Tues., June 27, 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
- WHERE: NYU’s Meyer Hall, Room 122, 4 Washington Place (Between Broadway & Mercer) [Subway Lines: 6 (Lafayette/Broadway); N, R, W (8th Street)]
Reporters interested in attending the filming must contact James Devitt, NYU’s Office of Public Affairs, at 212.998.6808 or james.devitt@nyu.edu or Walt Townes, Executive Director, Vote 18, at 917.572.8934 or walt@retaillockbox.com.