Ohio Teens Prove That 'Every One Counts' in 2008 Campaign

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- In only a week's time, a teen-
created Web site designed to engage young people in the presidential primary
process has captured the imagination of people across the country, with nearly
3,000 Americans of all ages visiting the site and sending in photos to prove
that "Every One Counts."
Conceived by a group of Ohio teens who are too young to vote but not too
young to make a difference, www.everyonecounts.org supports the idea that
every person, regardless of age or position in society, has a voice in our
democracy. After becoming inspired by candidate Barack Obama, the small group
of central Ohio students, led by high school sophomore Jake Beech and fellow
students Graham Horn, Jesse Vogel and Anna Vogel, struggled to find a way to
make their voices heard. They decided to launch a Web site and ask people to
send a single dollar to Barack Obama's national campaign headquarters as a
symbolic gesture that every ONE counts.
They hit their computers one week ago and launched the site, then self-
produced a YouTube video that plays each time someone visits the site. The
video features Ohioans holding up one dollar bills to show their support for
Obama and commitment to the idea that every one counts. The video includes
Ohio luminaries Columbus Mayor Mike Coleman, state representative Ted Celeste
and BalletMet Columbus dancers.
"We have jumped into the election by taking advantage of the tools most
teens use every day: the Internet and YouTube," says Beech, who attends Bexley
High School, just east of downtown Columbus. "We've had postings from as far
away as San Francisco, and from people young and old."
Visitors to the site are invited to send in photos of themselves with a
symbolic dollar bill to be posted in the Web site's "photo gallery." Current
entries include a retired auto worker in front of a dilapidated Youngstown
mill and a military veteran's dog wearing a shirt proclaiming "Mutts for
Obama."
Co-founder Horn said the group has worked hard to make the Web site and
video as professional as possible. "We have definitely put more than a
hundred hours into this already, and we're proud of what we've produced."
Although the students are working independently, with no formal support
from the Obama Campaign, middle school students in the group managed to enlist
the support of Michelle Obama at a Columbus rally where the prospective First
Lady posed with a dollar bill. The photo of Mrs. Obama is featured on the Web
site.
"The response has been amazing," says Vogel. "We've been in touch with
teens from all over the state and have gotten incredible e-mails from people
across the country. We may not be able to vote yet, but we can make our
voices heard."

www.everyonecounts.org

SOURCE Every One Counts