{"id":427071,"date":"2026-10-13T23:50:57","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T23:50:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/427071\/"},"modified":"2026-10-13T23:50:57","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T23:50:57","slug":"st-petersburg-college-students-encourage-young-voters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/427071\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Petersburg College students encourage young voters"},"content":{"rendered":"

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. \u2014 With the general election three weeks away, college students are leading the charge to get more young people to the polls.<\/p>\n

At St. Petersburg College, a student-led initiative called Project Citizen Fellows hosted an event that offered some food for thought.<\/p>\n

Project Citizen Fellows is a nonpartisan effort from SPC\u2019s Center for Civic Learning & Community Engagement.<\/p>\n

The group brainstormed creative ideas to attract young voters, reminding them to check their vote registration status and to exercise their right to vote.<\/p>\n

Some events included goats with a “goat to vote” event and a work out session with a “polls to pilates” class.<\/p>\n

The latest effort was a free taco event.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday afternoon around lunch time, students lined up, ready to get their hands on tacos.<\/p>\n

“The biggest draw I always saw was free food. You get in there, you see free food and you’re staying the whole time,” said Anthony Sfeir.<\/p>\n

At this event, everyone has a seat at the table.<\/p>\n

St. Petersburg College student Sabrina Wasilewski said, “It’s all about getting information, nonpartisan information out to students on how to vote, not ever who to vote for.”<\/p>\n

Paulette Piris, a student who is part of Project Citizen Fellows, said she knows how important it is for young voters to go out to the polls.<\/p>\n

“Voters like 18 to 24 are the demographic that votes the less, like always. It has always been like that and we have the most to lose,” she said.<\/p>\n

It’s Blair Serrano’s first time voting in November.<\/p>\n

“It feels amazing,” Serrano said.<\/p>\n

She is making her voice her heard by getting involved with Project Citizen Fellows.<\/p>\n

“Gas prices, affordable healthcare, housing, all of those things affect us, especially as a college student. You want to be able to afford those things and focus on school and not stress about just trying to survive,” she said.<\/p>\n

Other students, like Piris, feel the same.<\/p>\n

“Affordability, because it’s really hard to live now days like being our age,” she said. “Then, of course, like immigration, it’s really important for me, as coming from a mom that she is an immigrant.”<\/p>\n

Wasilewski echoed the same concerns.<\/p>\n

“The rising costs of college debt is also scary for us as students, and also cost of living in the city,”\u00a0Wasilewski said. “Like, it’s hard for all of us, and we’re all trying to make do.”<\/p>\n

It wasn’t only limited to current voters.<\/p>\n

Even 17-year-olds like Katie Weaver wanted in on the conversation.<\/p>\n

She can’t vote yet, but she still has an opinion.<\/p>\n

“The midterm elections can definitely determine the entire, like the Senate and I think that we definitely need that right now. And also just in the city, too, like dealing with the hurricane and things like that on the ballot that are important to vote for,” Weaver said.<\/p>\n

Anthony Sfeir is soon to be 18 and ready for when his day comes. He is encouraging others to step up.<\/p>\n

“My family are immigrants. They came here and they came from an area where they didn’t have a lot of privileges, left Lebanon mid Civil War. So they were kind of just getting by however they could, and that’s something that can resonate with a lot of other people,” added Sfeir.<\/p>\n

The event’s goal is to cause a chain reaction.<\/p>\n

Serrano said, “I’m glad that they’re being exposed to this. So that way, maybe they can speak to their friends or family and help them get involved as well.”<\/p>\n

Students may have came for the food, but left with some knowledge and a potential push to the polls.<\/p>\n

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