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Wednesday, December 25, 2024

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Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of the federal death row; Mississippi group working in 71 counties to end homelessness in Mississippi; Farmers no longer feeling Farm Bill anguish, but relief might be fleeting; Addressing Montana's expanding 'news deserts.'

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President-elect Donald Trump considers reclaiming Panama Canal. Lawmakers are uncertain Trump's cabinet will help everyday Americans and, advocates feel Biden must reconsider clemency actions.

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Rural folks could soon be shut out of loans for natural disasters if Project 2025 has its way, Taos, New Mexico weighs options for its housing shortage, and the top states providing America's Christmas trees revealed.

TX teachers work to register students to vote

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Tuesday, November 5, 2024   

More than 100 former and current students from Adamson High School in Dallas are eligible to vote for the first time this year, because of the work of a high school math teacher and her colleagues.

Rosie Curts is a math teacher there and a Volunteer Deputy Registrar, or VDR - and since 2018 has worked to make sure that any eligible student at her school who wants to vote is registered to do so.

She said she wants to normalize voting for young adults.

"If you can get a person to vote as soon as they're eligible, they're more likely to turn into a lifelong voter," said Curts. "They are adults, they're getting out into the world, and I want them to know voting is what adults do. When you become an adult, you need to do things like get a job, pay your bills, and you need to do things like vote."

State law requires that high schools help students register. Curts said the nonprofit March to the Polls comes to campus each semester to hold voter registration drives.

Curts said she would like for the school district to offer VDR training to all high school teachers so they can reach more students.

Once the teens are signed up, she said she creates a nonpartisan voters guide which addresses the topics they are most interested in.

Curts said she receives positive feedback from the first-time voters after they cast their ballots.

"One kid sent me his selfie with his 'I voted' sticker," said Curts. "One girl said, 'Guess what, I voted early the first day of early voting, I loved it.' And I've had kids say that they think of me when they vote now - it's awesome."

According to the 2020 Census, 2.9 million Texas residents are between 18 and 24 and are eligible to vote. They make up 10% of the state's electorate.




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