Teen wins award for letter urging safer school buses

By Zenaida Serrano Espanol
Advertiser Staff Writer

Not being old enough to vote hasn't stopped 14-year-old Sara Mirels of Hale'iwa from getting involved in the political process and proving that youths can have a strong voice in government.

Mirels, an eighth-grader from Kahuku High and Intermediate School, was named the Hawai'i winner of the RespecTeen Speak for Yourself letter-writing contest.

She was chosen from more than 10,000 students nationwide who wrote letters to their congressional representatives through the RespecTeen Speak for Yourself social studies curriculum. The letters, which were submitted to the contest, expressed students' views on a variety of national issues.

Mirels wrote to U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink, D-Hawai'i, about the importance of fitting school buses with seat belts.

"At first, I didn't know what to write about," Mirels said, "(but) I knew I wanted to write about children and teenagers."

Mirels' mother suggested the topic, and after Mirels did Internet research and learned the statistics involving school bus crashes and safety, Mirels said, "I just knew that I had to write about it."

Mirels, along with 50 other student representatives from each state and the District of Columbia, will participate in the 13th annual RespecTeen National Youth Forum in Washington, April 28-May 3.

They will participate in activities designed to help them find their voices in government. Activities include a meeting with their members of Congress; activities designed to coach students on lobbying effectively; and events stressing the importance of teens' opinions and power in government.

Mirels said she was surprised when she found out that she was the Hawai'i winner.

"I was jumping up and down screaming," she said, laughing.

Her parents were just as thrilled.

"We're very proud of her," said Mirels' mother, Susan.

The RespecTeen program is sponsored by Lutheran Brotherhood, a financial services organization based in Minneapolis.