As part of our campaign efforts, the BYU-Idaho Up To Us Team met with the Mayor of Rexburg, Jerry L. Merrill. We had an extensive conversation about the effects of the long-term national debt and how the city of Rexburg uses a unique Rural Planning Organization (RPO) to limit excessive government spending.

A week ago today was Valentine’s Day, and the following week BYU-Idaho Up to Us held an event, “Are You in Love with the National Debt?” to start out the weekend for students and locals. It was held and well-received at the community event center Skizzy’s.

In order to reach millennials and a crowd who was less likely to be aware of the national debt, BYU-Idaho Up to Us sponsored a dance party. The party featured not only dancing to the loud beat of the music from a skilled D.J., but also free pictures in a professional photo booth accompanied by creative money props. At the entrance there was a table set up with the national debt clock running on a laptop in view of the people who trickled in to see what was going on. There were members of the Up to Us team letting people know what Up to Us was all about and why the national debt matters. BYU-Idaho Up to Us encouraged young students and whoever showed up to sign a pledge raising awareness of the debt.

While most students signed the pledge there were some objections. Some of those objections came from questions like, “Why should I care about the national debt?” or “Why should I sign this petition?” Those type of questions were stumped by bold answers like, “You and me are one day going to have to take care of it, if it’s not taken care of soon.”

To commit this group of a rising generation, BYU-Idaho Up to Us took the mic on stage and pledged everyone before the end of the evening. The committee had the crowd chant, “Up to Us!” three times. Over 200 millennials took a stand that Friday night, and to show the nation that people in Rexburg, Idaho care about what is going on with our great nation.