I am a youth rights activist. I am passionate about the cause of youth. I am angered by the injustices to which young people in America are subjected, and I am determined to do something about them.

I believe that young people are intelligent, capable, and competent. I believe that youth are of great value to our society, with as much basic human worth as anyone else. Young people are not dangerous aliens to be controlled. They are not freaks to be feared. They are not imbeciles to be looked down upon. Young people are *people*, an obvious fact that is too often overlooked by those in charge.

It is time for a change. It is time for young people to be judged by their competence and character, not by their age. It is time for politicians, teachers, school administrators, parents, and America at large to take us seriously.

Many young people in school stand every day and recite the pledge of allegiance, extolling the American value of "liberty and justice for all." The attainment of liberty and justice for youth is near, and I am confident that I can work effectively towards that goal as a NYRA Director.

My determined and ever intensifying passion for the cause of youth rights inspires me to apply for the Board of the National Youth Rights Association. As a junior in high school, and furthermore as the President of the Bergen County NYRA, NJ, I have witnessed firsthand the injustices that juvenile citizens suffer due to ageism. At the same time, I have taken it upon myself and my chapter to combat these injustices, most recently desegregating a local McDonald’s from prohibiting persons 21 and younger from being served through letter writing campaigns and meetings with the management.

Over the two years that I have been a member of the NYRA, I have continued to address the issue of the voting age, and this is undoubtedly the cause I am most passionate about. I have met with town mayors and state senators to discuss possible amendments to the New Jersey State Constitution, which prohibits persons under the age of 18 from legally voting. Though a difficult task, I believe through perseverance and dedication, the youth of America can coalesce and speak their minds.

Chip Sinton, 17, lives in Orlando, Florida. Chip has been involved in NYRA since 2006 and has served as Chapter Formation Captain, Treasurer and then Vice President and member of the Board of Directors of the National Youth Rights Association. A highly ranked national debater, Chip has traveled around the country to debate youth rights in a variety of settings. He has spoken on youth related issues at Emory University, University of Pennsylvania, George Mason University, University of Florida, Harvard University, Princeton University and cities from Ft. Lauderdale to Chicago. Chip strongly believes that young people can be valuable and productive members of society, and as citizens, deserve the blessings of liberty extended to all Americans.

Yonaton Yares is currently a sophomore at Rutgers University – New Brunswick where he serves as Treasurer of the Rutgers University Student Assembly he is also a University Senator. He has been active within NYRA since 2005. Yonaton recently appeared on RNN TV and NBC’s Philadelphia affiliate to talk about why NYRA believes the Drinking Age should be lowered. He was elected to the Board in 2007.