Wesley Chapel Student Gets Lesson in Democracy at Romney Rally

Wesley Chapel High School student Sergio Calderon may be a bit more appreciative of America's freedoms than the usual 14-year-old.

That's because he's only been an American citizen for two years. He and his mother immigrated from Peru. And, although he didn't have to take the citizenship test to become a citizen due to his age, he quizzed his mother before she took her test.

That process sparked an interest in the political process, said Calderon's stepfather, Steve Dale, of Wesley Chapel.

"He went through the entire citizenship process with his mother so they could become legal citizens," said Dale. "That's where he learned a lot about our government."

To encourage his stepson's interest, Dale decided to take Calderon to a political rally.

"We went to the Romney rally in Land O' Lakes but we didn't get very close," said Calderon. "Then we tried to go to the Paul Ryan rally but it was cancelled because of the hurricane."

Knowing this would most likely be his best chance to see Romney before the Nov. 6 General Election, Dale decided to take Calderon out of school so they could attend Wednesday's Romney rally in Tampa.

"He's very enthusiastic about politics," said Dale. "He's watched all the debates and he's done a lot of studying on his own."

If he could vote, Calderon said he'd definitely cast his ballot for Romney.

"He's the best choice," said Calderon. "He's a businessman and knows how to balance a budget. He's the best person to run this country."