Who won the debate?

It was a pretty easy-going atmosphere, with plush chairs, a large roundtable, and most importantly, the large flat-screen TV. Snacks were scattered around the table, along with about six to seven kids my age, and a lot of older JSA alumni.

Then the clock struck 6 p.m. and the debate began. It was time to begin the fight. As both Bush and Kerry walked out on stage, one of the JSA alumni piped up in the back - "Here comes the tall, handsome man." She did have a point as Kerry looked significantly more vibrant that night - Botox injections work wonders. I also noticed that both Bush and Kerry were almost wearing the exact same outfit - same color suit, same wavy American-flag pin, same 'ready-to-go' expressions, same red tie.

My verdict - Kerry won, but just by a little bit. There's no doubt Kerry had an overall marvelous performance Wednesday night, but Bush's mess-ups also helped push him in the right direction. Also, Kerry had to make up for the last debate, when he didn't do as well as he could have.

Just some highlights of the debate - with scoring:

·Body language - Kerry's has improved every debate, where he actually looked into the camera or near to the camera and smiled at the appropriate moments. While Bush's body language was better than the first debate, it was still pretty bad. He smirked or giggled at the weirdest moments. I distinctly remember one point when he had cut off Kerry, finished what he was saying and there was an odd silence when Bush just grinned for about six seconds. I thought the screen had frozen for a few seconds or something, as the whole table around me burst into laughter. Point to Kerry!

·Evasiveness - for example, Bush skidded around lots of tough questions - on jobs, minimum wage and affirmative action - by changing the subject to the education of children, or more importantly, the No Child Left Behind Act. Which leads me to another question: what were you thinking, exactly? Obvious point to Kerry.

·Mess-ups and overall confusing statements - Kerry incorrectly cited that Bush had never met with the Congressional Black Caucus. But Bush had his odd reference to Kerry being on the "far left bank," his talk of "pay-go," and, the best one of all - when Kerry said that "two leading national news networks have both said that the president's characterization of my health care plan is incorrect," Bush countered with "I'm not so sure it's credible to quote leading news organizations about - oh, never mind." Um. Did he really, actually say that? And the answer is yes. Yes, he most certainly did.

During the debate, the other JSA members and I laughed at: Kerry's drooling, pointed out every patented George Bush smirk, cited Kerry's appeals to the HBO generation and chuckled at Bush's very, very red face. Like I said before, it was a comfortable, relaxed and friendly atmosphere, just like you would expect with friends gathering around and watching a typical show like "The O.C."

After the debate, I participated as an operator manning the stations where students from JSA chapters all over the United States called in with their opinions of the debate. I was impressed with the level of organization and professionalism at our JSA Debate Watch, which happened to be held in the association's national headquarters in San Mateo. It seems like an open-minded forum for politically-minded teens just to gather around and share opinions.

Students can participate in JSA by joining or starting a chapter at their high school, where activities include debates, guest speakers, mock trials, candidate debates, voter education and registration drives. If you're interested, visit www.jsa.org or call (800) 317-9338.

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Yo ... Mateo, that is. There is now something for youth getting increasingly agitated that nothing is happening for them or that no one is addressing their issues. YO! Mateo - catchy! - is a youth coalition looking for 14 to 23 year olds to represent San Mateo County. The coalition provides support and opportunities for youth to develop and build on their leadership skills while addressing the impact of alcohol, tobacco and other drug-related issues in the community.

Doesn't sound good enough yet? Benefits, you say? Well, you get to actually have a voice in the community about things you care about - where you're able to speak passionately about what you care about.

You'll gain valuable experience in working with others that will be useful in all facets of life. You'll develop your public speaking, advocacy and facilitation skills. Members will also earn community service hours and a $300 stipend.

For more info, call (415) 836-9160 or e-mail kmontgomery@yli.org.

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Scholarship Savvy: If you are or know a girl between 12 and 18 who is taking the first steps toward financial independence, already showing budding entrepreneurship and making a difference in your/their community/school, then you should look at the Girls Going Places College Scholarship Program. Scholarship prizes totaling $30,000 are awarded among three top winners and 12 finalists each year. The nomination period for this scholarship begins in September and ends in February 2005. Winners will be announced in May. For additional info, visit www.guardianlife.com.

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Vibe Time: Food, fun and local bands, like Overview and Expossure. Band Night starts at 7 p.m. and is $5. The Vibe is located at 650 Shell Blvd., Foster City. For more information call 286-3254.

Margot Leong is a senior at Menlo School. Her column appears in the Friday edition of the Daily Journal. She can be reached at margot.leong@gmail.com.