Hey, this is my first post on the Newton Dems site. I’m Jay Clifford and I’m currently an about-to-graduate senior at Newton South High School. Tomorrow I will be attending the Massachusetts Democratic Convention as a delegate for Ward 8 in Newton.

Last year, I went to the youth convention. I really enjoyed the youth convention. Senator Ben Downing (D-Pittsfield) gave a passionate speech about how to get involved in politics, and spoke about his initial campaign at a young age. Van Jones, an advocate for green jobs, also spoke to us.

This year I am 18, and now eligible to be an actual delegate. I went to the Ward 8 caucus to help my dad set some things up and fill out some forms. When it came time to elect delegates, not enough people were sure they could commit, so I offered to be one and I was unanimously voted in.

Tomorrow, I’m going to post some live updates from the convention in Springfield. The keynote speaker is David Plouffe, who managed President Obama’s campaign.

- Jay