Civics classes — where high school students learn about the three branches of government — end with a cumulative exam, but the real test for politically-minded young people comes when they cast their first vote. High schoolers are reminded to register for these classes, but many students are still 17, and therefore, too young to vote. At 18, many teens are going off to college, which often means a change in address or even home state, making voter registration difficult and confusing.

Youth commissioners, in middle school and high school, from West Valley cities traveled to Sacramento last week to voice support for lowering the state voting age from 18 to 17.

On Aug. 29, 30 youth commissioners from Campbell, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, San Jose and Saratoga traveled by bus to the state capitol building to show support for lowering the voting age and to learn about their state government.

California lawmakers said Tuesday that they plan to protect young adults whose immigration status is jeopardized by the end of the DACA program. 

At news conference at the Capitol attended by more than 20 legislators, Senate Speaker Pro Tem Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) said California should be "beacon of hope and opportunity."

“We’re not going to allow one single executive decision on DACA to reverse generations of progress at the height of our historic diversity, economic output and our sense of global responsibility," he said. 

Naava Ellenberg is a graduate of Lincoln High School who is attending Barnard College. She wrote this for The Mercury News.

Many 18-year-olds are registered for their first semester of college classes, but very few of them are registered to vote. As adults in a democracy, young people have this great privilege and responsibility, yet very few take advantage of the opportunity. Their disregard is not the result of indifference or immaturity, but of an overwhelming amount of new responsibilities.