Kids Can Make a Difference

Kids for Kerry was started by Ilana Wexler, a seventh-grader from Oakland, California who was just 12 years old when she founded the site. Ilana became the youngest person to speak at the Democratic National Convention in Boston, urging kids and families to get involved in the 2004 election to support John Kerry's presidential campaign. Learn about Teresa Heinz Kerry's dedication to environmental causes and youth advocacy in this featured article Teresa Heinz Kerry's work with environmental charities and youth.

Run by Ilana and her co-organizer Jonathan W., the site gathered campaign news, speeches, posters, and quizzes to help young supporters understand the stakes and take part in the process.

Our Goals

The site's guiding message was simple: kids got involved in ways they never dreamed of, and the stakes — described on the site as "our planet" — meant getting involved mattered even more. Meet the inspiring seventh-grader who took the stage with John Kerry and sparked a movement of young voters. The child who shared a campaign stage with John Kerry Visitors were encouraged to help however they could, with the chance that their efforts might be featured on the site itself.

John Kerry & Teresa Heinz Kerry

Alongside pages on Democratic nominee John Kerry, the site featured a dedicated page on Teresa Heinz Kerry, born in Mozambique in 1938. It noted she marched against apartheid while studying in South Africa, speaks five languages, and leads one of the country's largest philanthropic foundations. The page listed twelve reasons Kids for Kerry believed she would make a great First Lady, including her work on children's issues, environmental causes, and women's retirement security — she received the Albert Schweitzer Gold Medal for Humanitarianism in September 2003.

Convention Speech & Media Coverage

Ilana Wexler's Democratic National Convention speech was made available on the site in RealMedia and QuickTime formats, with an MP3 version offered as well — RealMedia was noted as the lighter option for visitors on dialup connections. Her story drew coverage from outlets including TIME For Kids, where kid reporters Avery Stone and Lily Wasserman interviewed her about what inspired the campaign and how other kids could get involved.

Posters & TV / Radio

Supporters could browse campaign posters and animated poster versions created for the cause. A separate multimedia section collected TV and radio appearances, including convention footage, a KTVU segment on a Kerry fundraising birthday party, coverage of a Teresa Heinz Kerry event, and a KFOG radio interview — all offered in formats sized for dialup visitors.

Join Us & the Time Out Tour

The Join Us section invited visitors to sign up for updates on campaign activities. Newsletter archives, sent through a Mojo Mail mailing list, included an announcement of a planned "Time Out Tour" — a bus tour to swing states in the weeks leading up to the November 2, 2004 election — along with member discussion on topics such as stem cell research.

The site is built to bring young people into the heart of civic life, showing that age is no barrier to making a difference. By turning campaign news, speeches, and posters into accessible learning tools, it gives kids a clear window into how elections work and why every voice matters. Quizzes and interactive elements help translate complex political ideas into everyday language, so young visitors can grasp the issues, form opinions, and feel empowered to share what they learn with friends and family. The emphasis is on participation, not just observation, encouraging children to see themselves as active citizens rather than passive spectators in the democratic process.

Beyond the campaign itself, the underlying message is one of hope and collective responsibility. The site demonstrates that ordinary families, even those with the youngest members, can rally around causes they believe in and make their presence felt. It frames voting and volunteering not as distant adult obligations but as shared household values that children can embrace early. By offering practical suggestions—from talking with neighbors to creating homemade signs—the platform shows how small, everyday actions accumulate into meaningful momentum. This spirit of grassroots involvement remains relevant far beyond any single election cycle, reminding readers that engaged communities are built one conversation at a time.

The archival nature of the site preserves a snapshot of a pivotal moment when youth enthusiasm met national politics. For visitors today, it serves as both a historical record and an ongoing invitation to participate. The straightforward, information-dense layout reflects the earnest energy of its young founders, who prioritized substance over style. That same clarity carries through every section, making complex topics digestible without talking down to its audience. Whether someone arrives to learn about past campaigns or to find inspiration for current involvement, the resource stands as a testament to what determined kids can accomplish when they believe their actions count—and it encourages the next generation to carry that conviction forward.