The hallways of this high school are empty today. The only people milling around the mostly abandoned building are a couple of teachers, some janitors, and the occasional administrator. They go about their daily tasks, writing lesson plans and preparing for classes to start up again.

This, however, is no ordinary day. It’s 1969, and outside of the windows of Central High School in Mineapolis, one can glimpse what amounts to a mob of people congregated on the lawn, chanting slogans and waving signs to protest the Vietnam War. Adults are gathered around, trying to talk the students back into their classes. They aren’t budging.

It’s been a while since students in the Twin Cities have been pushed to these extremes, but the political convictions that fueled that rally remain, especially in Edina. While it’s rare for students to walk out of class to protest anything nowadays, there is still an air of political involvement at Edina High. It’s difficult to place exactly why this is – parents? Location? – but no matter what the reason, Edina High is inarguably a very politically active place.

One of Edina High’s most prominent political figures is senior Gabe Aderhold, who gained national attention this summer for interrupting Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) during a rally in Iowa to chastise her for what he considered her unfair views towards gays and lesbians. His experience may have catapulted him to fame, but Aderhold says that he has been involved in politics long before this year.

“I began getting involved [in politics] with my parents around 2006, but didn’t start doing things by myself until 2008, when I worked for Barack Obama,” Aderhold said. “Then, I had an internship in 2010 for Matt Entenza, a candidate for governor.”

He doesn’t plan on leaving the political scene anytime soon, either. He’s one of the directors of the Minnesota Young DFL, and he’s not stopping there. In his words, he is “planning on getting very involved in the election this year.”

Another student political activist (for different reasons) is sophomore Helen Risser, whose mother Julie ran for state Senate District 41 as a Green Party candiate. Due to her unique position as a third-party candidate, Ms. Risser employed her young daughter, 11 at the time, as a campaign manager.

“I had fairly optimistic predictions for her,” the younger Risser said. Thankfully, her mother, who lost the bid to Geoff Michel, was prepared. “One thing [my mother] said was that she wasn’t expecting to get elected as a third party candidate, but just wanted a way to get her ideas in the public political consciousness,” Risser said.

Risser plans to get involved in politcs in a few years, but not as a canidate. “I can’t really see myself in a major political office, but I would be interested in campaigning for a candidate I support.”

To some, though, politics aren’t a fervent passion or aspiration: it’s just mom or dad’s job. A prime example is junior Sarah Downey. Her father is State Representative Keith Downey, but she herself tries to stay out of the political field.

“I don’t think I’m particularly involved [in politics], save for the fact that my dad is the state representative,” Downey said. “I get a good taste of politics but personally am not involved in any political organizations, at school or otherwise.”

This kind of political discourse is welcomed by administrators. “I think it’s great to be involved in the political process at any age,” said Dr. Bruce Locklear, principal at Edina High School. “It helps students become globally aware, which will help us transition to how business will be done in the near future.”

Dr. Locklear also thinks that, in the long run, it benefits students to be involved in the political process. “In the [political] process, involved awareness and comprehensive knowledge of current events are vital assets, just like in every other area of life.”