Teen delegates set for Philadelphia

CEDAR RAPIDS - Until a few weeks ago, they were churning out high school homework assignments and finalizing plans to move into college dorms in the fall.

At the same time, a pair of Linn-Mar High School seniors were campaigning to get elected as delegates to the Democratic National Convention that starts Monday and runs through Thursday.

Now they've packed their bags for Philadelphia, where they're looking forward to seeing Hillary Clinton becoming the first woman to be the nominee of a major American political party and networking with other young Democrats.

'I'm not just reading about it or watching it on the news. I'm directly immersing myself in the process,” said Allie Hoskins, 18, of Cedar Rapids, who will be an alternate delegate.

'It's a truly impactful way to share your voice,” added Sruthi Palaniappan, who was a precinct captain for the Clinton campaign. After that experience, Palaniappan - who also is 18 and from Cedar Rapids - 'wanted to see the process through to the convention.”

They were warned by older, more experienced party members not to get their hopes up.

'There was some competition” for delegate slots, Palaniappan said. 'People told me it would be difficult, but you just have to show people your passion and enthusiasm. You have to persevere.”

They also were warned they would be responsible for the cost of attending the convention. Some delegates expects flights, hotel rooms, meals and other costs will run as high as $10,000.

Palaniappan and Hoskins each set up a GoFundMe campaign, and Hoskins earned money from her work as a freelance photographer.

Neither lacks for passion. Hoskins 'fell in love” with politics while taking a high school government class.

'I want to make a difference, and politics is a way to do that,” she said. Hoskins plans to major in political science and international studies with a computer science minor at Iowa State University.

Palaniappan, who foresees running for political office someday, is headed to Harvard University where she plans to major in government and global health policy.

Their passion is not universally shared among their peers. Hoskins said some friends reacted with 'mild annoyance” to her enthusiasm for politics.

'I want to get more young people involved,” she said. 'They're not showing up. But we are the future, and that starts now with all the turmoil going on.”

Unlike many young people who joined the campaign, Palaniappan and Hoskins back Clinton rather than Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Many in their age group were attracted by Sanders's tuition-free college plan.

Palaniappan thinks Clinton's plans were more 'practical, more likely to be accomplished,” but she thinks it is 'cool” Clinton has adopted some of Sanders's positions, such as that college tuition plan.

'That shows he had an impact and that should not go unnoticed,” she said.

Other than attending to the official business of the convention, Hoskins and Palaniappan aren't quite sure what to expect. Hoskins plans to go to a session on veterans' issues, and Palaniappan, a first-generation American, wants to participate in Asian-Pacific Islander events.

Both see the convention as a networking opportunity to make connections with other young activists who are immersing themselves in the process.

'I want to hear other people's stories …

to put myself in their shoes,” she said.

'I want to make connections and open different doors,” Hoskins said. 'I want to stay involved for the rest of my life.”