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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

The Vox Box

Guess what? You matter.

If you're like most teenagers, you probably don't feel like you have a lot of potential to make a real impact on the world. Sure, schools are constantly throwing inspirational messages like "Try your hardest!" and "you can do anything you set your mind to!" But how many of us actually believe we're capable of achieving great things, at least while we're in our youth?

For days when you're feeling meaningless, check out this blog post, listing six remarkable individuals--most of whom you've probably heard of--who made amazing contributions to the world while they were still young (five of them were under 30).

Do you think young people today have more or less ability to make great contributions than they have in the past? For example, is the rallying of youth around causes like Global Warming or Darfur comparable to the great student protests of the 60s? Or is the age of passionate, powerful protests gone in our generation?



In 2006, then-editor Steve Smith of The Spokesman-Review had the idea of starting a publication for an often forgotten audience: teenagers. The Vox Box was a continuation of the Vox, an all-student staffed newspaper published by The Spokesman-Review. High school student journalists who staffed the Vox made all content decisions as they learn about the trade of journalism. This blog's mission was to give students an opportunity to publish their voices. The Vox Box and the Vox wrapped up in June 2009, but you can follow former staffers' new blog at http://voxxiez.blogspot.com.