I’ve pretty much tried to do what I could to show that I really love politics and human rights. I tried to start a JSA club and a Model UN club, but our school is pretty strict so it got shut down. I write to local newspapers and the Seattle Times about social justice issues in my spare time. In my school, I helped co-organize a protest for gun control, since our school is a private school and doesn’t usually allow those sort of things. I’m also helping a senator organize her campaign and volunteering at her campaign presentations. I’m a junior, and senior year, I plan on doing an independent study on the refugee crisis and I plan on connecting that with my senior project, which will be to start a non-profit which will help donate clothes/“care packages” (or something like that) to refugees. think I should do more (and I certainly want to), but I live in an area that’s not “super political” and is more focused on the technological industry. I need help, so what should I do?
Volunteer for the fall elections. For a candidate or a ballot initiative. The parties always need volunteers, too. One of my kids volunteered to help with the district conventions (not sure if they happen this year in WA or not, or what the timing is, but check). She helped give people credentials, was a floor marshall during votes, etc.
Remember that colleges don’t expect you to have your life planned out, or be fully formed/experienced in your major area. If you have a few ECs related to your proposed major, they believe you.
Keep doing what your doing. Perhaps create a blog about current political issues, or a YouTube channel. Intern for your town newspaper and focus only on political and governmental topics. Try to get one of those clubs up and running, since leadership is valued in college applications
Yup, good that you vol for a rep, now take on some of the harder tasks in her campaign, not just “helping organize.”
As for human rights, get involved with an advocacy group in your comunity. Real organizations doing the hard work, not hs clubs. Why “start” a project to collect goods, when you can go work with an existing group that already does? Or one that works with local residents in need. It isn’t about founding or researching, writing, from your comfort zone, but getting out there and doing.
Just to give an example (you can modify for your own interests or situation); lots of places around us have canned goods drives for food pantries. Our church runs a food pantry. Canned food drives are very nice, and make people feel good. Those canned goods have to get sorted, inventoried, and stored. That’s a lot of work for the food pantry volunteers! (We mostly buy food in case lots at very cheap prices from the local Food Bank). Do you know what our pantry really appreciates? People who show up every Friday to move inventory to the distribution area, cut egg cartons in half for distribution, pack the bags that go to the senior citizens center in town. Or show up every Saturday and check people in, help them choose their food, carry the bags to the car for them. And SHOW UP EVERY WEEK! And know what to do without instruction, because, they show up every week!