By Gayle Weber, FHSU
DENVER -- Lawrence delegate Cori Allen doesn''t know how much presidential nominee Barack Obama can do for the youth in America.

The 18-year-old, along with all the other college-aged delegates from Kansas, thinks finding affordable tuition is one of the biggest issues for that age group. However, improving the overall economy in the United States would go a long way toward meeting that goal.

"A lot of my friends are graduating from college this year or in the next few years, and they''re trying to figure out if they''re going to have a job after they''ve spent four years trying to get an education," Allen said.

Allen is one of 10 delegates in the nation--and one of four in Kansas--age 18 and under. The first-time voters are holding out hope for lowered tuition rates and programs to allow more high school graduates to attend college and obtain degrees.

"When you''re taking out loans for $40,000 a year, you have to worry about what''s going to happen because of the credit crisis right now," Allen said. "A lot more decisions about college were made based on who could get loans and who couldn''t this year than I''ve ever seen before."

Allen starts classes next week at Babson College near Boston and chose the school because it offered her a full-ride scholarship.

College students not only have to find a way to pay their tuition, they have to find affordable health insurance while in school.

"Being a student, health care is really hard to find," 18-year-old Hutchinson delegate Sean Buchanan said. "A lot of people are not going to the doctor while they''re going through that stage and just hoping they don''t get sick."

Buchanan said Obama''s message of bringing change to American is hitting home with many people his age. That change and Obama''s inspiration also could turn around the trend of voter apathy in Generation Y.

"I don''t think apathy comes from the innate instincts to be apathetic," Allen said. "I think we''re so discouraged by politicians who don''t listen or who are so focused on their career or attacking someone else, but that has nothing to do with our lives."