Leo HS Hosts Teen Voter Registration Sessions Tuesday - All Invited

Leo High School is extending an invitation to “tomorrow’s informed voters” on National Teen Voters Registration Day September 10, 2024 at Leo, where students can register on site during one of three session times.

“We are opening our invitation to all schools, and we hope to register more than 1,000 teens,” said Leo Principal Dr. Shaka Rawls. “This particular call to action is history in the making and tomorrow’s informed young voters will stake a claim to shaping history with their ballot.”

National Teens Voter Registration Day is a movement that aims to inspire and mobilize teenagers to participate actively in the democratic process. Beyond casting a vote, its mission if to empower young minds to make a difference in their communities.

This campaign provides teens with the tools for registration, fosters informed decision-making, and instills a strong sense of civic duty. By organizing voter registration drives in high schools and engaging in political discussions, teenagers can play a significant role in their communities through active participation in electoral processes.

According to Rawls, Leo looked beyond its own student body to take ownership of this “important event aimed at facilitating the registration of eligible young voters.”

• For students aged 18 and over, they can register to vote on the spot.

• For students aged 16 and 17, they can pre-register to vote. Illinois law allows teens to pre-register, and we want to introduce as many young individuals to this process as possible. Specifically, students who are 17 but will turn 18 on or before November 5th are eligible to register and vote.

“We have students in our own building who will turn 18 in October, for instance, and they were astonished to find out they can register and then vote November 5th in their first presidential election,” said Rawls. “By inviting all our area schools, we create a greater, more impactful statement on the South side.”

Conceived over the summer months as Leo prepared to invite the community school children to receive 1,000 backpacks with school supplies, Leo’s administration chose to “look beyond our own walls” and junior and seniors to recruit as many young teens to register as possible.

The event will include light refreshments and a brief 9:30 a.m. press conference celebrating the historical significance of the moment. Leo regards “this as an excellent opportunity for students to become active participants in our democratic process and to see the collective impact of their involvement.

“The day is not just about voting but also about honoring those who fought for the right to vote,” said Rawls.

Also invited are local community leaders, celebrities, and distinguish alumni who have been active in their respective school’s community outreach and support.

For more signup information for Leo Catholic High School's National Teen Voters Registration Day event, please contact Yolanda Sandifer-Horton at YHorton@leoHighSchool.org or 773.224.9600. Registration will take place inside the school located at 7901 South Sangamon Chicago, IL

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Leo Catholic High School is a parochial, all-male, Catholic high school in the Auburn-Gresham neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. It is located in the Archdiocese of Chicago and home to a predominantly African–American student body. The school will be 100 in 2026 and is named in honor of Pope Leo XIII.

Leo’s largest freshman class in 20 years brings the current enrollment to 255 students, a 40-percent rise since Principal Dr. Shaka Rawls arrived at Leo for the 2016-17 school year.