Latino adolescents who share knowledge from the classroom, new
media and information technology among immigrant families
function as "civic information leaders," a new study by the
University of Colorado Boulder shows. Their role helps family
members assimilate to American culture and also represents a
powerful channel through which to campaign to immigrant parents,
according to journalism Associate Professor Mike McDevitt, lead
author of the study. "There is a reason for optimism, as opposed
to despair, in thinking about the prospects for reaching a
demographic typically portrayed in social science as chronically
disengaged from civic and political life," said McDevitt.
"Schools, news media and campaign strategists should view
adolescents as the most effective way to mobilize Latino
families for active citizenship," he said. "They should not try
to reach parents directly, but instead reach out to teens. This
can trigger a trickle-up influence." The study was conducted
primarily with Latino participants from