Project : Writing a Representative Letter Writing : 20 points Due Nov. 5 Guidelines for Writing your Letter • Choose an issue that concerns you. (choose only one issue to discuss in your letter). Ask your Representative or Senator to propose a bill that supports your position on that issue. • Who Represents Me : Use http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/Home.aspx and type in your address to find your representatives. • Give reasons why you want your representative to propose this bill. • Share a personal story. • Use the correct format for addressing your State Senator or Representative. • Use facts and references to support your opinion. Example; Change the driving age to 18. “According to the National Highway Safety Administration, the rate of crashes, per mile driven for 16-year-old drivers is almost 10 times the rate for drivers ages 30 to 59.” • Provide the source of your facts or statistics. • Even if you are angry, frustrated or disappointed, be sure to use a polite tone and appropriate language. Some issues you may want to choose from are:  Abortion  Animal Rights  Capital Punishment  Child Labor  Children's Rights  Space Exploration  Welfare  Elections  Drugs In Sports  Drunk Driving  Electoral College  Endangered Species  Environmental Protection  Global Warming  Gun Control  Immigration  Smoking Oral Presentation Each student will give a 5‐15 min presentation of his/her letter. You can use the following questions to guide your presentation. *What is the topic of your letter? *Why is this issue important to you? *What bill would you want your representative to introduce? 10 Points ✓ Extra Credit (5 points ) ✓ Create a poster, PowerPoint, or flyer. Letter Assignment  No plagiarism . Do not copy and paste information or paragraphs from articles. Use your own words.  Proofread your letter before turning it in : Use correct grammar, spelling and punctuation. • You have to choose only one topic and to be specific about what you want your representative to do. • Example • School lunches: organic and fresh food, cooking classes, school gardens. Date The Honorable___Chris Turner___________ (First and Last name) Texas House of Representatives OR Texas Senate Austin, TX 78768 Dear Senator OR / Representative_Turner_(Last Name only) My name is [your first and last name] and I am [student/name of profession/community member] who resides in your district. I would like to thank you for your political leadership on issues that directly affect young people in our community. [You can be more specific about their voting record if you know it.] I would also like to ask you to introduce a bill which will change the voting age from 18 to 16 in local elections. For several years, I have been interested in our government and political process. I have canvassed for candidates that I support and donated money to their campaigns. And yet, because I am 16 years old, I am left out of the political process during election time. It is very important to me that my voice is counted along with the other citizens who care deeply about the future of this country. [Tell your representative why the issue is important to you and how it affects you and your community.] I understand that lowering the voting age to 16 may seem like a radical idea, but there are many reasons to do so. Many countries, including Brazil, Austria, and Argentina, have a voting age of 16. Two cities in Maryland, Takoma Park and Hyattsville, have also lowered the voting age to 16 for municipal elections, which has helped to increase voter turnout there. Sixteen-year-olds are just as capable of voting as eighteen-year-olds. They have jobs, pay taxes, and can be tried as adults in court. Lowering the voting age to sixteen would encourage other elected officials to better respond to the needs of young people in regards to education, the environment, and the economy. [State why you support the bill. Choose up to three of the strongest points that support your position and state them clearly.] Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I would appreciate your support on this and I look forward to hearing back from you regarding your decision. Sincerely, [Your first and last name] [Street Address] [City, State, Zip code]
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