COSTA MESA - Estancia High sophomore Maria Cervantes was not comfortable discussing illegal immigration.
She didn't think she understood the issue well enough to speak about it. That's why she forced herself to go to a meeting Tuesday night.
Cervantes and 140 other middle school and high school students and teachers from Newport-Mesa Unified gathered to discuss one of the most contentious topics in their community and across the country.
The forum was organized by Neighbors for a Safe Community, a group of about 50 area residents and business owners that formed last year. The group says a lot of emotion and not much rational thinking has surrounded the illegal immigration issue in Costa Mesa.
Taco Mesa restaurant co-sponsored the event and provided free dinners.
The goal was to encourage civic participation by high school students, help educate them on the topic, and provide students with a productive arena to have their voices heard, said organizer Chris Blank, a Costa Mesa resident and attorney in Newport Beach.
Another goal was to encourage students to register to vote at 18.
http://www.ocregister.com/common/printer/view.php?db=ocregister&id=28211
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