New Year's Day is traditionally a holiday of optimism and good cheer, so it seemed only right that you meet Stacey Barrack and Danica Daneshforouz, who epitomize the spirit of this day.

Stacey and Danica are rarities, 21-year-old students who are interested in government and optimistic about politics. They reject the jaded view that their votes don't matter or that all politicians are crooks looking out for their own interests.

They agree and they disagree. The two political science students, who returned in December from internships in Washington, D.C., don't hold the same political views. Stacey is a Fox News-watching Republican while Danica is a CNN-watching Democrat, but in separate interviews, each focused on the positive aspects of politics.

During their four months as roommates in Washington, Stacey worked for Republican Congressman Jon Porter while Danica worked for Democratic Sen. Harry Reid and was assigned to the Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee led by New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.

They were there at a historic time when voters in November shifted power in Congress from the Republicans to the Democrats, which was more exciting to Danica than to Stacey.

The best part of her internship, Danica said, was "just going there and seeing how a political system works from the inside." The experience "helped me as a person." She went there shy and apprehensive about public speaking. She came back with confidence, believing "you can actually make a difference."

Stacey felt much the same. She delighted in giving tours of the Capitol, taking Porter's constituents to the basement and showing them bullet holes and burn marks where the British torched the building in the War of 1812.

They had different jobs. Stacey was in Porter's office and saw him every day Congress was in session. "He treats his staff like family," she said. One day he took her and another intern to lunch and asked their opinions about the war in Iraq. Her assignment included sorting faxes, answering phones and listening patiently to the "frequent fliers," constituents who call every week and want to express their views for an hour or so.

Danica wasn't assigned to Reid's personal office. Her job with the Democratic Steering Committee was helping to put together summits and outreach events. She met Reid and Clinton at a "meet and greet," but that was the extent of her contact with them. Still, that less-personal experience didn't deter her enthusiasm. "I came back very upbeat about our political system," she said. "There are things you can do to make a change."

Mark Peplowski, their political science professor at the Henderson campus of the Community College of Southern Nevada, said Stacey and Danica returned with more optimism about politics than most interns he has encouraged to apply over the years. It's because "they had less ego," he said. "They were humbled by being chosen to work there, and when they got there, they embraced the opportunity. It really changed them."

"I fell in love with the city and the vibes you get there," said Stacey, now a junior at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who plans on going to law school. Working in Washington "made me feel more patriotic, more involved and more knowledgeable," Stacey said. Like Danica, she wants to finish school and return to the world of Washington politics. Those who condemn their politicians have to realize, they're the ones who put them in office, she said.

Despite their differing political philosophies, Stacey and Danica discussed issues with civility and found they agreed on many things. Danica, whose mother is a Catholic from Cuba and whose father is a Muslim from Iran, said she and Stacey were both tolerant about religious freedom and both felt the Muslim congressman who didn't want to swear his oath of office on a Bible was within his right.

So who do they favor for president? Danica is liking Clinton because of her family-oriented positions. Stacey is "kind of liking" Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, even though he's a Democrat, because of his "fresh attitude."

But if anyone has a fresh attitude, it's Stacey Barrack and Danica Daneshforouz, two political optimists who believe in civil discourse, young women who don't view politics as a blood sport, but as a solution.

Jane Ann Morrison's column appears Monday, Thursday and Saturday. E-mail her at Jane@reviewjournal.com or call 383-0275.