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Schools

Whiz Kid: Teen Works to Sway Voters, Though He's Not One Yet

Michael Banerian crusades for school board recall and is quoted about Obama by national columnist.

Each week, Bloomfield Patch features students doing amazing things in their schools and in their communities. This week's Whiz Kid is a politically active high school junior.

Michael Banerian

  • Age: 17
  • School:
  • Achievements: Through media outreach and volunteer work, the teen is campaigning for a voter recall of all seven Bloomfield Hills School Board members. "They just don't listen to the voice of the majority," he says, citing a high school consolidation plan that he recently characterized in a published commentary as "the bizarre obsession with constructing a new high school, which results in the neglect shown toward our two high schools."
    He's the youngest member of , a recall group whose other participants can collect petition signatures because they actually are registered voters. "I spent a majority of my time this summer on the campaign," he says.
    The poised student, who doesn't call himself Mike, exchanged emails early this year with syndicated newspaper columnist Michael Reagan, a son of the former president. Reagan quoted Banerian in a piece criticizing President Obama's State of the Union address. "I love this country," the student says in one of nine sentences Reagan used. "Let's not let the little time we have left to fix this [economy] be squandered by a president who looks after his image over the American image."  
  • Key to awesomeness: This articulate, polished junior is so accustomed to talking with adults that he begins conversations with first-name ease that's not off-putting. He acknowledges that schoolmates aren't always as interested in public policy discussions as he is, and said during an interview: "Calling me a political nerd might understate it."
    Asked why many peers have liberal political views, Banerian doesn't hesitate: "They still rely on parents for almost everything and aren't supporting themselves yet." 
    When not writing to the Oakland Press, Downtown and Birmingham Eccentric, Banerian enjoys playing piano and watching football. He worked this summer with Vacation Bible School participants at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Birmingham and as a counselor-in-training for a week at Camp Michawana in Hastings, MI.
    Early college plans focus on James Madison College at Michigan State, his father's alma mater–conveniently near the seat of state government. "I want to go into politics, that's the plan," he says in a tone so confident it leaves little doubt he'll be on ballots. As a Republican, of course. 

Do you know our next Whiz Kid?

Bloomfield Patch welcomes suggestions for students, youth groups and even sports teams who wow us with their accomplishments. We want to hear about these amazing children and teens and select one each week as Whiz Kid. Submit your nomination in our comment box below or email the information to editor Art.Aisner@patch.com. Please include all these details:

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