Junior Jonathan Moore is spearheading a new youth movement to reelect President Barack Obama.
Moore founded YouthRISE for Obama 2012, a volunteer group aimed at rallying teens in Detroit and Metro-Detroit area for hands-on involvement in the re-election campaign.
“Not many people understand the magnitude of the problems (Obama) faced when he entered office,” says Moore. “Republicans in Congress wish to see him fail.”
Moore wanted to see Obama re-elected, so he became involved. He set out to recruit other Metro-Detroit teens to volunteer in Obama’s re-election campaign efforts in Detroit and Metro-Detroit. Thus, YouthRISE for Obama 2012 came to be.
The group so far has how six members, two of whom attend Southfield High. They are juniors Kierra Tarrance, Anna-Kay Barrett. The other members attend Cass Technical High School, Detroit School of Arts, and Romulus High School. Tarrance says, “I liked what was going on and wanted to be a part of it.”
According to Moore, the goals of YouthRISE are to fulfill the mission of Obama for America and to turn as many supporters as possible to it.
The group plans to develop and utilize the skills of Metro Detroit youth who volunteer through realizing, inspiring, organizing, and educating. The first letters of those four words form the “RISE” acronym.
“Realizing” refers to the group’s wish to help young people realize that they can volunteer in the 2012 campaign and make a difference regardless of their age.
“Inspiring” is the hope that the youth who become a part of the group will gain the confidence to inspire other youth in the community to take action for their future.
“Organizing” is the skill to decide how to go about recruiting new members and how to aid President Obama’s re-election.
Finally, “educate” refers to the youth of the organization educating others as well as themselves on the President, his accomplishments and his efforts while in office, as well as the Democratic Party platform, election issues and election procedures.
Richard Cok was Moore’s former teacher for Advanced Placement United States History. Cok says, “I think he’s probably the first student that I’ve been involed with that has shown a true interest in government.”
For more information on YouthRISE and how to become involved in the group, call Jonathan Moore at 313-974-1285 or email to [email protected].
Interested youths can learn more about the group on the web:
Twitter: @YouthRise2012
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/YouthRISEforObama2012