Victoria Puts The SmackDown On Seniors
By Jen Hunt
Written: March 5, 2007

Victoria went to Central High School in Phoenix this morning to put the SmackDown on the senior class about the importance of voting.

The visit was part of WWE’s SmackDown Your Vote! campaign to encourage young people to become active participants in their democracy. Arizona Secretary of State Jan Brewer joined Victoria in front of roughly 400 students in the school’s auditorium.

“I came from a middle class family, and I have a lot in common with these kids,” said Victoria.

The Raw Diva told students that they need to vote so that issues which concern them are addressed. She shared how financial aid really helped her go to college, and that if financial aid is in their future, they should vote to protect it.

Secretary Brewer was excited that Victoria wanted to talk to the students. Voting has been a key issue over Brewer’s political career. In addition to encouraging people to register to vote, she helped make it easier for overseas military personnel and permanent residents to vote by fax and register online.

“Voting is very important because our country is based on a republic where people get to elect their officials to represent them,” Brewer explained. “Today is very exciting given the fact that all the students love wrestling, and to bring a celebrity like Victoria here, that peaks their interest, and we can educate them at the same time.”

Leading the assembly was the school’s Assistant Principal, Rob Barnes, who was thrilled with how it went.

“It was really good to see two powerful women who are educated, and education got them here,” said Barnes. “That’s really important for our community. Our school is 80% Hispanic. A lot of our kids, for whatever reason, are raised to be afraid of authority figures: a police officer, a politician. They need to see these people out there having fun. I think it’s important to humanize it and say ‘hey we can do this’, and I am hoping that it will make a positive impact, especially for the girls.”

At the end of the assembly, dozens of students registered to vote, which everyone was very happy about.

“A couple students even came up to the podium afterward asking how they could get involved with politics,” Victoria said, clearly pleased with the impression her visit had made.

Credit: WWE.com