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Student Program Aims To Register Parents To Vote

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By JESSICA DaSILVA

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 15, 2008

TAMPA - As part of an effort to increase civic engagement in schools in Hillsborough County, high school students are reaching out to their parents and communities this week to get them registered to vote.

The voter registration drives are taking place at all open houses and back-to-school nights at county high schools, said Dennis Holt, supervisor of secondary social studies for Hillsborough County public schools.

The drives are a part of a program called Educating Learners to Engage in Civics Today, or ELECT. The program was funded from a $2 million grant from the U.S. Education Department.

The voter registration drives are led by members of high school student governments.

The $2 million is being used in other ways, too, Holt said. For example, teachers from all grade levels are being sent to training workshops held by the University of South Florida's political science department to learn more about American government and civic engagement.

Reporter Jessica DaSilva can be reached at (813) 259-7851 or jdasilva@tampatrib.com.

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