I have been absolutely bombarded with political text messages and emails now for months, all asking for money and all in a state of utter panic. So it came as a relief today to read this opinion piece - As a first-time voter, I feel empowered knowing I can make a difference in Colorado and the country - published in The Colorado Sun and written by a first-time voter from Aurora, Colorado (yes, that Aurora).

Ayah Al-Masyabi, Author

(I have had a subscription to this online newspaper since a group of Denver Post journalists broke away from their previous jobs after a hedge fund manager purchased the Post a few years ago - but that's another story.)

Anyway, if you need a break from election anxiety on this all-important day, or if you'd like to read this piece to a class, the young writer tells a very personal story of her growing interest from the age of six in an immigrant family that has always talked politics around the dinner table. Two lines in particular drew my attention:

"My parents and communities have always instilled in me the knowledge that contributing to society through civic and political engagement is the best way to be a good American, and the epitome of that is voting."

"Last year, one of the most influential ways I learned to see current events through the eyes of history was in my American Government class. My teacher explained the importance of voting through the perspective of those who dedicated their lives to gaining the right to vote and tried to put us in their shoes."

I know that teachers in the TPS Teachers Network have had the same kind of impact on their students, so I'd like to dedicate this article to YOU! 

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