(ARA) - Many American adults don't vote because they think it doesn't make a difference. But a recent national survey shows that even though teenagers aren't old enough to vote, they still believe they have the power to make a difference in current political issues - and it's parents and teachers who've helped them feel this way.

The nationwide survey, conducted by Yankelovich Partners and sponsored by Lutheran Brotherhood in collaboration with their RespecTeen Speak for Yourself program, focused on finding what teens' interest levels are in politics, who has the most influence on their knowledge and impression of politics and politicians, and if teens believed they could influence political leaders. A little over 500 13- to 15-year-old old students were interviewed, and 73 percent of them believe that people their age can make a difference in the political decisions of their elected officials today. Even though they haven't reached legal voting age, these teens believe that their opinions matter in the discussion of current issues. Parents and teachers ranked the highest as people who influence the teens' knowledge and interest in politics. The media was next, followed by the Internet and friends. When asked what they learned from these sources, teens give high credit to parents and teachers for providing them with a mostly positive impression of politics and politicians.

Lutheran Brotherhood RespecTeen Speak for Yourself program provides tools to enable students of this age group to become involved with the political decision-making process. The Speak for Yourself program is a curriculum that is distributed each fall to seventh- and eighth-grade teachers around the country. The program encourages junior high school students to learn about the democratic process and communicate with elected officials.

This year, more than 10,000 teens wrote their Congressional representatives on issues they are concerned about for RespecTeen's Speak for Yourself program. The top three issues discussed were drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy, and gun control, which ranked higher than it ever has in the program's twelve-year history. Other concerns are violence, environmental issues, crime, health, education, and foreign policy.

Copies of letters are forwarded to Lutheran Brotherhood, the program's sponsor, and judged by a panel of educators. One winner from each state and the District of Columbia are chosen to attend RespecTeen's National Youth Forum in Washington, D.C. While there, teen participants meet one-on-one with their elected representatives. "By writing letters to their members of Congress, young people are prompted to reflect on important national issues and come up with thoughtful solutions," says Ellen Albee, program director. "We hope students recognize the value of their opinions and learn to make positive changes in our nation and in their communities." Albee says she is also pleased by the findings of the study. "In today's world, where the media and Internet have become a pervasive part of our culture, it's encouraging to hear that parents and teachers hold the highest degree of positive influence on teens today." For more information on RespecTeen or to download the Speak for Yourself curriculum, visit www.RespecTeen.org.

Courtesy of ARA Content - www.aracontent.com