Dylan Hallsmith, a sixth-grade student at St. Michael's School in Montpelier, Vermont, started his own campaign to support Congressman Dennis Kucinich while he considers running for the White House. Called "Kids for Kucinich," the campaign is targeted at young people nationwide, voters and non-voters alike.

"Congressman Kucinich cares about the future, and that's where we're all going to live." Dylan said. "He's concerned about education, the environment, about worker's rights, about civil rights. And most important, he wants to stop war. War is bad for everything." Congressman Kucinich is one of the sponsors of a bill that would create a Department of Peace.

Hallsmith met Kucinich when he came to speak at a Peace Summit at the University of Vermont in September last year. At the Peace Summit, Kucinich talked about how young people need to do something if they want to have a voice in their future. In a dramatic demonstration, Kucinich showed the hundreds of young people who came how one candle can light up a room that was in darkness. "Every voice counts in a democracy," Hallsmith said. "Even if we can't vote yet, we can talk about who we would vote for, and we can volunteer to help with the election."

Hallsmith has started the campaign by producing a web site (www.kids4kucinich.org). He's planning to target the mass media, and to try and get rock stars involved. "Kids need to care about who's elected President," said Hallsmith. Hallsmith hopes that by getting kids involved in the election process, their parents and grandparents will follow. Contact him for more information at djhs@kids4kucinich.org.