Next U.S. President, political activist, Frenchmen. Those are just some of the things you hear about David Seaton. But how has he accomplished all of these traits as just a senior in high school? 

By participating at an early age in political conferences, David has found what he’s passionate about. When asked what his most meaningful extracurricular is, he responds that he has loved working for Civic Unplugged, which is an organization that allows, “the opportunity to connect with politicians, business/nonprofit leaders, and young activists from around the world, who are working to make change in their communities.” In addition to his political work individually, he also gets other young leaders involved with his self-run podcast, “called Pod Save the Youth, with other members of the Civics Unplugged team, to elevate the voices of young people in politics.” Anyone can listen to this podcast, and he often has peer guest speakers.

Listening to David’s podcast has been “a spectacular experience” for senior Toby Flowers. James Jewell and Toby were both featured in his podcast to discuss the presidential primary, war in Ukraine, abortion, and other political topics. James notes the discussion was “enlightening” and refreshing to have a place to talk about those things.

Senior AP Lit teacher Mr. Wood expresses his admiration for David by saying, “I have been impressed by his political activism and his passion in politics.” Teachers and students note David’s commitment to his political work outside of school, and the skills he gains helps him develop strong attributes he uses in school as well.

He has also worked with Congressman Seth Moulton’s congressional youth council. This opened up a multitude of opportunities for him as he says, “Because of that, I had the opportunity to intern for Congressman Moulton last summer and connect with other members of Congress, who invited me to a number of events, including the Serve America congressional dinner last month.” 

He has been able to attend events with political figures like Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, President Biden, and former President Obama.

Some might wonder, how did David came into all of these opportunities? He says that he connected with IHS History and Government teacher Ms. Fritz by advocating for himself, and from there he could build on what he participated in by being proactive. 

Many people attended the assembly that David hosted in April regarding voting registration. He says, “I hope that I leave IHS as a more civically engaged community where students feel empowered to pursue opportunities to engage in local politics and make their voices heard in the political process.” He does this by creating these assemblies and actively making his peers more informed and engaged.

David is currently living in France for the remainder of the school year, so unfortunately we will not be able to share our graduation day with him. We wish David the best of luck in the future and can’t wait to see him save the world!