Students take to radio airwaves to encourage their peers to vote

In the next room, teenagers fill out voter registration forms on the last day to do so.

And if it were up to many of these young voters gathered at Baltimore Talent Development High School, Barack Obama would become the next president.

“You make history with this vote,” said Tavon Powell, a 17-year-old junior and one of several students on his school’s debate team who argued about youth civic engagement Tuesday during a segment of 92Q’s “Big Phat Morning Show.”

“He offers something different.”

Senior Valarea Jones, another debater on the hip-hop station’s show, which aired live from the school, called voting for Obama the opportunity of a lifetime.

Turning in her registration form, Victoria Haynes, another senior, announced her plans to vote for Obama, saying she appreciates his pledge to reform health care and education.

With the primary election less than a month away, Obama supporters in Maryland say they hope the youth of the candidate from Illinois attracts the young, anti-establishment vote.

“I’m in favor of Obama. He’s an outsider and represents the American Dream,” sad Mark Clark, host of the “Big Phat Morning Show.”

Marvin “Doc” Cheatham, president of the Baltimore National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, showed students how to register but didn’t try to sway their votes.

“Young people get excited about younger candidates, but we are just excited they are excited to vote,” he said

Obama appeals to young voters because he doesn’t seem like a typical candidate, said Tony Roman, a Carroll Community College political science professor. Not all young voters are convinced.

Ken Westbrook, a senior at Talent and Development, is torn between Obama and Hillary Clinton.

“I like seeing history being made either way,” he said. “But I’m not going to vote for Obama just because he’s an African-American.”

kvolkmann@baltimoreexaminer.com