Students In Macomb County 'Rock The Vote'

SHELBY TWP. (WWJ) Think young people don't care about politics? Teens at one metro Detroit high school are proving that wrong.

Students at Eisenhower High School in Shelby Township held a rollicking "Rock the Vote" rally Wednesday, an initiative founded by MTV to get teens passionate about politics. Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel came to the rally with a message, telling students to think for themselves and look past party labels.

"It's pretty exciting," Hackel said, adding, "I think they need somebody to finally come out and just make that statement -- I don't vote for somebody just for their partisan label... I need to be sure the people I work for are going to be engaged."

His message wasn't falling on deaf ears.

"I think it's important for Rock the Vote to come to Eisenhower, because it informs the students that don't know about the upcoming election and somehow it like persuades them to maybe go vote," said Vanessa Mladenovic, 16.

Mladenovic added it's important for people to get involved because every vote counts.

As part of the rally, many students who were 18 and able to register were given the opportunity to do so.  Eisenhower senior Emily Austin turns 18 in three weeks, and she said she'll be signing up to vote right away.

"It's so that you know like what's coming, what you need to be prepared for, you know, what you're voting for, what your views are, and what you think," Austin said. "We have a part in what happens to our country."