Educators use election to teach voting

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October 29, 2008

Anonymous The Joplin Globe Wed Oct 29, 2008, 09:27 PM CDT

By Greg Grisolano

ggrisolano@joplinglobe.com

It took the better part of a month for Blake Witten and Kasey Ng to research their roles as Barack Obama and John McCain, respectively.

The sophomores at Commerce High School put that research, as well as some hair dye, to good use on Wednesday, during a mock debate before their entire student body.

Sporting a suit and tie, and a liberal coating of gray hairspray, Ng also employed some of McCain’s common phrases such as “My good friends” as he answered questions about Iraq, the economy and abortion.

“Everyone gets to know the candidates a lot better,” said Ng, 16. “It’s going to help me to know how to do a little bit more research before I vote.”

Both boys and their running mates — Whitney Showen, who portrayed vice presidential candidate Joe Biden, and Kamesha Cook, who took the role of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin — are students in Danesa Napier’s history class at the school.

Napier said she split her two sophomore classes into each campaign, regardless of their political beliefs.

“Regardless of their personal opinions,” she said, “they had to be on-board for their campaign.”

As a history teacher, Napier said she was excited for the opportunity to teach her students about a historical event as it was happening.

“You want to get your students involved, and the best way is just to get them in there, get them to do the research, and have fun with it,” she said.

After a month researching Obama, Witten said if he were old enough to vote, he’d probably support John McCain.

“I’d probably vote for McCain,” he said. “I like some of the things McCain does and Obama doesn’t support.”

Missouri

A Joplin High School social sciences teacher said his classes will get a hands-on learning experience by doing exit polling of voters next Tuesday.

“Basically, it lets them go out and get some real-life information,” said Matt Harding, who is head of the social sciences department at Joplin High School.

Harding’s students will hit four polling places — two in Newton County and two in Jasper County — to compile their data. From there, he said he hopes his students will be able to use the information to determine the outcome of the election.

“We’re going to see if we can’t predict from the exit polling who might win, and why,” he said.

Students at Neosho Middle School also engaged in a mock debate and election, according to Julie Hulley, gifted education teacher.

“I think it’s vital (to incorporate the election into daily teaching),” she said. “My kids have got so excited. They’ve gone home and shared it with their families. It’s so exciting for them to actually get to vote.”

Hulley said she has seen excitement not just in her students, but throughout the whole school.

“I’ve seen kids talking about the candidates before school,” she said. “I don’t think that’s very typical. I’d say all the kids in our school are excited about it or involved in some way.”

Kansas

All schools in Crawford County will put on their own mock elections as part of a statewide program, “Kids Voting Kansas,” according to school officials in the county.

“Kids Voting Kansas educates students about the electoral process, and urges kids to accompany parents to polling places,” said Carolyn Robison, a history teacher at Pittsburg High School and the program coordinator for USD 250.

Like her fellow educators in other states, Robison said she believes in the importance of using a presidential election to highlight the importance of voting.

“Many people are saying this might well be the most important election of our lifetime, and I think that’s very valid,” she said. “We’re hoping this goes home to parents, and they catch the enthusiasm of the kids. We’re hoping they urge their parents to go out and vote.”

Since Monday, schools throughout Crawford County have been staging mock elections, using voting machines on loan from the county clerk’s office.

Liz Hart, an election official with the clerk’s office, said the machines are extras left over, and will not affect polling stations for what many are predicting to be a record turnout on Election Day.

“We have a couple of extra stand-by machines,” she said. “If we do have an issue on Election Day, the machines will be taken from the kids’ voting sites.”

Learning experience

“They’re going to walk away from this knowing where the candidates stand,” said Commerce history teacher Danesa Napier.