YOUNG POLITICAL ACTIVIST: CROSSVILLE, ALA.

Sterlin Pendergrass, 18

Crossville, Alabama

In DeKalb County, Democratic incumbent Harold Bobo was going unchallenged in the 2008 school board primary. Sterlin Pendergrass stepped up to make sure everyone’s voice was heard.

A recent graduate of Crossville High School, Sterlin thought the system didn’t give voice to a variety of opinions. He had wanted to run for school board for about two years, but he had to wait until he was 18.

Believing the county — population 66,935 and the “sock capital of the world” — needed a new direction, Sterlin’s goal was to help teachers and students by listening to them. He wanted to know which problems were most troubling the school system — and what he could do to fix them.

While Sterlin was unsuccessful, he hopes his attempt encourages more young people to step forward. For himself, he plans to run again for the six-year term, in 2014, and may eventually consider being involved in politics on a national level.

Why did you run for school board?

I just always had an interest in public service and I always figured that would be the best way to start out by helping our students and our teachers. I just enjoy the experience of getting out and talking to people, meeting them and listening to their ideas of what we need to change.

How did it work, signing up to be a candidate?

You just have to go to your party, of course I’m a member of the DeKalb County Democratic Party, and they ask you some questions like, “Have you supported the party loyally for four years consecutively?” If they decide you are qualified to run for office, then you go and pay a fee and then fill out the correct papers and send them in. And that’s pretty much all it is.

In hindsight, what would you have changed about your campaign?

I would have a better plan of how to go about it and try to talk to a few more people here and there and have a few more town hall type meetings, stuff like that. … I’ve been on TV and in the paper and all that stuff, but I just wish I could have spoke to a few more people. That’s what I regret.

What advice would you give to young people who wanted to become politically involved?

If you can find someone who has been in the office you want to run for, talk to them and see if they can give you some advice about what goes on, just how to go about it. And if it’s a governing body like a city council or a school board, then go to the meetings and see how it works, how business is conducted.

If you could talk with any of the presidential candidates about any issue, whom would you pick? What would you discuss?

Hillary Clinton and health care because the system now is in shambles. A lot of families can’t afford to get sick and go to the hospital or even the doctor’s office. A lot of time Medicare and Medicaid won’t cover everything. Something needs to be done so everyone can have health-care coverage.

Copyright 2008 Y-Press