Wednesday, November 8, 2000

Mock election prepares kids for the future

By PAT NEWMAN
pnewman@TheCitizenNews.com

If North Fayette Elementary School's fourth and fifth grade students were old enough to vote Tuesday, they would have been thoroughly prepared to select a presidential candidate.

Teachers Barbara Russell and Jane Trice took their students through a hands-on study of the electoral process starting with a nomination and moving through campaign issues and the election.

With voter registration cards in hand, the students lined up Monday afternoon to receive their ballots, moving efficiently to the voting booth and ballot box. In the hallway outside their classrooms were red, white and blue streamers punctuated with handwritten slogans like "Get off your tush and vote for Bush" and "Go Gore."

By discussing issues like health care, the military and education spending, Russell said the students could compare the platforms of the top two presidential candidates and make personal decisions on who they would like to become president. "Be your own person, I told them," Russell commented.

Ross Downin explained how Gov. George W. Bush proposes a tax cut for everybody, including the wealthiest people, who also happen to pay the most taxes. Robert Burgess said Vice President Al Gore wants to help the military by paying soldiers more and improving their living conditions. Kimberly Anding pondered Bush's plan for senior health care, particularly allowing for more privatization of the system.

The students said they used a variety of sources for their project, including the Internet, newspapers and TV. The result was a class of future voters with a clear understanding of how a president gets elected and the importance of exercising the right to vote.

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