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Party Animals

Andrew Conneen and Daniel P. Larsen could be called convention groupies.

The two Lincolnshire, Ill., high school teachers showed up at the Republican National Convention here just to check it out and to participate in the political process, despite the fact that they had to play hooky from school to do it.

The dynamic duo are political fanatics who teach a love of the political process to their senior students. Mr. Larsen, who says he is bi-partisan, has been to three conventions now and this week鈥檚 is the fourth for Mr. Conneen, a Republican.

These guys aren鈥檛 delegates or even alternates to the convention. They鈥檙e just two teachers who love the democratic process and are trying to inspire that interest in their students. Think of Deadheads鈥攖hose devoted fans of the band the Grateful Dead who faithfully trailed the group around the country鈥攊n suits and power ties and you鈥檒l get an idea of the passion this pair have for politics.

鈥淭he networks continually tell us they (the conventions) are boring and purposeless and not very meaningful, but if you鈥檙e a citizen this is where we get to say, 鈥楾his is who we want to be our leader,鈥欌�� Mr. Larsen said. 鈥淲hat could be more meaningful than that?鈥�

On Aug. 30, the first day of the convention, the two crashed a luncheon at the chi-chi Four Seasons Restaurant intended to allow top National Education Association officials to hobnob with Republican members of Congress. Mr. Larsen said NEA President Reg Weaver invited them to stay for lunch.

Earlier this year, the two chaperoned 40 of their students on a trip to the Iowa caucuses; they have their own political radio show at Adlai E. Stevenson High School (Mr. Weaver is a frequent call-in guest); and use their own time to visit as many conventions as possible. In July, the two NEA members went to Boston to observe the Democratic National Convention.

鈥淔or political junkies, it鈥檚 part of the triple crown of the electoral season,鈥� Mr. Larsen said.

The pair hopes that their efforts will inspire their students to participate in the political process. By Aug. 31, both will be back in the classroom describing their experiences. They鈥檒l write op-ed pieces and do speaking engagements with teachers across the country about what they do. "[Teachers] all just look at us and say, 鈥楬ow do you do this?鈥� and we just say, 鈥榃hy don鈥檛 you?,鈥欌�� Mr. Larsen said.

They even have a slogan for their efforts: 鈥淐itizen U.鈥� And their motto? 鈥淲e train political animals.鈥�

In a way, they鈥檙e providing students with an entr茅e into politics. Former students of theirs now work for former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright; political talk show host Chris Matthews, and various political publications.

It鈥檚 important for teachers to bring politics into the classroom and inspire students, Mr. Conneen said.

鈥淓ighteen-year-olds are not unlike the average American citizen,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey want to be invited in to the process and we try to give them every opportunity.鈥�