By Renee Moilanen
DAILY BREEZE

The students at Animo Leadership High School aren’t old enough to vote.

Nevertheless, these Lennox teens were on the front lines of the political scene Monday night when former President Clinton and Gov. Gray Davis stopped by their campus to drum up support for the November election.

“I’m overwhelmed,” said Hugo Guerrero, 14. “If someone like Bill Clinton comes to a school like this, it must be really important.”

Hundreds of people turned out for the Democratic Party’s get-out-the-vote rally on the Animo campus, chosen because of its outstanding student achievement, said founder Steve Barr. Animo is the South Bay’s first charter school, a public school free of many state mandates, and draws its students from the impoverished Lennox community.

Davis used the backdrop of Animo High — which he, at one point, referred to as “Amino Charter High School” — to tout his record of expanding college scholarships, increasing public school accountability and fending off school voucher attempts.

But clearly the students — and the crowd — had come to see Clinton, who elicited howls of praise when he lauded California’s commitment to public education.

“In California, instead of vouchers, we have charter schools, like Animo,” he said, sweeping his hand across the stage to show off rows of Lennox teens.

The Animo teens, who rubbed elbows with federal representatives and political hopefuls during the splashy, music-filled event, said they appreciated the extra publicity for their 400-student school, now in its third year. “It’s a way to get our school known,” said Andrea Morua, 15.

The rally also reinforced Animo’s own get-out-the-vote effort.

For the last few weeks, students have walked door to door in their neighborhoods, urging voters to get to the polls on Nov. 5.

The students do not campaign for any particular position.

Animo Leadership High, as reflected in its name, requires students to make a difference in the community.

“For us, it’s making connections to show why the election is important,” Barr said.

Having a large-scale get-out-the-vote rally in their back yard, complete with well-known political faces, bolstered the school’s efforts, students said.

“It’s good publicity, because we’re just kids and people barely listen to us,” said Delbert Dungca, 15.

“But if they hear it from someone important, it’ll mean more.”

And the rally gave some students a chance to see their political idols up close.

“I’m a Bill Clinton fan,” Morua admitted, grinning.

Publish Date:October 29, 2002