Throughout her career in education and local politics, Alice Palmer has championed the cause of youth leadership. Now Palmer will take her cause to Springfield as a newly appointed state senator.

"We must look for ways to help them become informed and active leaders," said Palmer, who was sworn in earlier this month to represent Chicago's 13th legislative district. Palmer succeeds Richard Newhouse (D-Chicago), who retired.

With her appointment, the 51-year-old Palmer, a mother of 4 who received her doctorate in educational administration from Northwestern University, became one of 12 women and one of 7 blacks (four of them female) in the Illinois Senate. She will fill Newhouse's seat, which expires in January, 1993 (and for another term if she wins the general election in November 1992).