Myra Naqvi just turned 18 and she hasn't had a chance to vote yet, but the right to vote matters to her. Myra, the daughter of Ali and Jill Naqvi of Marietta, won a writing contest sponsored by the Pennsylvania American Legion for her essay on the topic "What the 26th Amendment Means to Me." Her essay won first place at the post level, district level, inter-district level and Eastern section. From there, her essay took second place at the state level.

The 26th Amendment set the voting age at 18. "Having a voice is so important, especially for young people," Myra stated. "We need to be represented in our democracy, and we need to be able to participate."

She said certain issues are especially important to her generation. "There are so many vital concerns for the younger population," she remarked. "We need to make sure we have a voice to make change."

Myra, who graduated from Donegal High School in June, said she learned about the essay contest through her school and was interested in participating because of the topic. "I took a personal law class, and we had just talked about the 26th Amendment," she recalled. "I'm passionate about current events, and this contest topic was a good fit for me." Myra was presented with her awards at the American Legion Post 466 in Marietta during the post's 100-year anniversary ceremony in May.

In the fall, Myra plans to attend Dickinson College, where she has been accepted to the ROTC program and will also participate on the cross-country and track and field teams. She hopes to pursue a career in the legal field, potentially specializing in environmental law.

She encourages other students to take their civic duty seriously. "Don't be afraid to ask questions if you don't understand something or you want to know more about something," she said. "Spend time researching the people in power who are going to make policies affecting your life. And when you get the opportunity to vote, take it."