<p>I want to major in international affairs in college so i figured it would look good for adcoms etc. if i interned in politics. is there anything available to high schoolers (17 y/o junior)? I tried to get one with my state senator but i have to be 18 for that</p>
<p>I don't know about internships, but with politics the most important thing is getting involved. Be active in your party or with issues you can about, and other opportunities will fall in place.</p>
<p>Opportunities exist. If they don't, you may be able to create them! My US Senator's office had never before hired a non-college student for an intership, and during my junior year I convinced them to give me a try. They now hire several high school interns every semester. Look around. If you live in a metro area, try to shoot for something small like City Council or DA if you're interested in litigation.</p>
<p>i live 20 minutes from philadelphia but in new jersey...maybe philly or camden? im trying to look around but not having much success so far. ill keep trying though. the thing about 18 for senate internship was with corzine, it didnt say on lautenberg's site so i emailed his camden office. howd you convice your senator!?</p>
<p>I applied for an internship with my Congressman and they never wrote back. The general rule is "after first year of college."</p>
<p>But you should take advantage of the upcoming election, they always want volunteers. Even if you are only stuffing envelopes, it is still volunteer hours with a political campaign.</p>
<p>yeah my congressman is up for reelection. hes a republican and i align myself as a moderate democrat. hes been in congress for decades now and isnt gonna loose. should i work on his campaign to be on a winning campaign or try to help his opponent (who i would prefer to win), whos son goes to my school</p>
<p>I called, emailed, and even spoke to the Senator's personal assistant at one point. He was up for reelection, lucky for me, and some of the regular interns and staffers had temporarily left the normal office to work at the campaign headquarters. I guess that helped quite a bit. If you're not having luck on the state scale, like I said before, go local. If no politicians will have you, maybe try out the Young Dems or Reps.
On a side note, at my internship, I was never given tasks like photocopying or stuffing envelopes, thank god...how boring would that be?! Make sure to inquire as to the nature of the work you will be doing when talking to representatives.
Also, shainaloves...what upcoming election are you talking about?</p>
<p>It's definitely more fun to work on a campaign that's going to win--the election night party is a lot more enjoyable to say the least. Of course, it's no fun for you if you secretly wanted the candidate to lose, so... If you think your political ideas really do clash with the politicians, then I would go for the one you really believe in versus the one who's going to win. However if you are trying to secure an internship beyond the campaign, remember that that will over if he loses.</p>
<p>Unless i misinterpreted what she said, shes talking about the 2006 congressional elections. what did you do when you interned?</p>
<p>I entered information into the database, wrote letters to constituents and agencies, as well as many other random things. For example, Senators are in charge of recs for the military academies, and I helped catalogue the applicants as well as contact them to schedule interviews. When a vote was taking place on the Alaskan oil drilling I--along with all of the other interns--manned the phones to respond to voters. Once I had to run out and buy him lunch, but that was just an odd day.</p>
<p>Noodles--- Which Senator did you work for?</p>
<p>Andrassy - local chapters of political parties function year-round, whether there's an election up or not. It might actually be easier to make yourself known and gain a more significant position within the party now, while there is no election swelling the applicant pool. </p>
<p>During off-years, local party chapters raise money for the elections, sort out their own internal business (such as electing state party officers, etc.), write and mail newsletters to members, get involved with small events that advertise the party in the community (blood drives, litter pick-up days, food pantry donations), circulate petitions, recruit new members (maybe you could ask your local chapter for help in starting a high-school young Democrats organization at your school, etc.), organize letters-to-the-editor campaigns, interview with the media, etc. </p>
<p>It is very easy to join these small organizations at any age (they might be even more impressed that you're so young), and after a few months of being seen around the place you might be able to pursuade elected officials from your party to take you on as an intern. Maybe it's just me, but I would avoid working for the campaign of a party you don't care for. While there are people who cross back and forth between competing political organizations, I suspect that behavior is something of a liability especially at the local level.</p>
<p>how would you go about joining your local chapter?</p>
<p>Show up to one of their meetings. They'll all be milling around before the meeting starts, so go up to someone and say, "I am interested in helping out in the party; do you know someone here who might have information about that?" Local political groups are usually really low-key.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.workshops.org/internships.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.workshops.org/internships.html</a></p>
<p>THEY ARE THE BEST</p>
<p>I used them. I had no political connections. I got an internships with a congressman in Washington D.C. Plus they provide housing and supervision. etc... Just awesome program. PM me for more info</p>
<p>nyaha! i live near DC and got myself an internship at a really cool interest group. i mean, i called around myself for a month or 2. there's like way too many interest groups in DC, its awesome. ahh the joys of networking. (jealous? jealous!!?)</p>
<p>my friend is an intern for Hilary Clinton. She has political connections though..</p>
<p>i think people like that are dirty. make your own connections. it doesn't say anything about you if daddy finds you a job...</p>
<p>I'm a Senior in HS, and I got an internship with my state senator during junior and senior years. I emailed, called, and interviewed. Just don't let up.</p>
<p>Although the tasks were minute I enjoyed them. I entered things into the database, wrote daily news briefings, and wrote some letters to consituients.</p>
<p>Now the senator is writing a recommendation for me.</p>