New Hampshire’s youngest elected state rep. is on a mission to boost civic knowledge
New Hampshire State Rep. Valerie McDonnell talks with Zivvy News about her focus on education policy, and her mission to get young people engaged in politics
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As a high school student, Valerie McDonnell would notice a peculiar pattern each morning when the Pledge of Allegiance would be recited. “A number of my classmates - at one point, the majority in the room - were sitting down,” McDonnell, tells Zivvy News. “And that's their choice, but I realized that I think if they understood what makes America a great place to live, that they would decide differently.”
So in her senior year of high school, McDonnell decided to run for New Hampshire’s House of Representatives, a position that pays just $100 a year. She was elected in 2022 at just 18 years old, becoming one of the youngest state legislators in U.S. history.
McDonnell, now 20 and attending Massachusetts School of Law, built her political platform on civic awareness amongst her generation. Thanks to legislation that she supported, all New Hampshire students are now required to pass a civics course and pass the United States Citizen and Immigration Services exam - the test eligible lawful immigrants need to pass to become naturalized U.S. citizens - prior to graduation.
“When [the bill] came in front of me, I was excited,” she said. “And then we worked together as a group to hear testimony from different stakeholders, many of which are parents and students in the community. I love that we have younger people who come and testify in front of the committee, and they're given a time limit, and pretty much they can say whatever they want about the topic, and I found what they said very helpful.”
McDonnell hopes that these courses will help students gain a greater understanding of America and thinks it will also increase voter turnout. “I think if you understand the process, why we have the rights we do, why we're able to vote, it doesn't matter, really, which party you're voting for as long as you're getting involved in the process,” says McDonnell.
To get younger people interested in politics and government, McConnell also makes YouTube videos on civic education - ranging from explainers about the U.S. constitution and read-alouds of civic-minded children’s books, to vlogs documenting the legislative process. One video shows a behind-the-scenes look at attempting to pass a parents’ bill of rights. The controversial Republican-proposed legislation would require teachers to tell parents if their children identified as a different gender at school. It was ultimately defeated in the House.
As a young conservative, McDonnell says she tends to be the minority on her college campus, but encourages other young people to speak out - even if their opinion is not the majority.
“I think it's important to have those conversations,” she says. And if other people are afraid or discouraged to lend their voice, I hope to be representation saying, well.. I've done it, you can as well.”
She also encourages both sides to have discussions and hear different opinions, saying, “the world would be a better place if we could hear the other viewpoint and not put up a fence and say, ‘well, I'm not talking to you anymore.’”
Related: More young people are running for office, but winning is an uphill battle