Students Learn Voting First Hand
By: Sophie Nielsen-Kolding WMBD/WYZZ TV
Updated: October 31, 2012
DUNLAP- Students at Dunlap Grade School cast their ballots for president.
It's a mock election, so their votes don't count, but the experience does.
"Today we're voting and I feel it's important since we don't get to vote, I feel like we get a chance to do it," said student Whitney Michanicou.
"This is the perfect opportunity to use real world excitement and events to teach them a lesson about the importance of voting and civics," said principal, Mandy Ellis.
Ellis said students have been learning about the two candidates and the voting process.
"It's teaching us that we should vote later on because the presidents can make an impact in your life," said Tyler Schmidt.
Bolin School in East Peoria is taking a similar approach with its own campaign rally. Students will vote on another mascot to accompany their Bolin.
Brave. Fourth grade teacher Derek Schulze said students will vote the same way the country votes for the president.
"And we'll also have a popular vote, but the electoral vote will win. That will be the decision we'll go with," Schulze said.
Students made posters to campaign for their candidates, the buffalo the wolf and the cougar.
"We've tried to keep it positive so there's no negative campaigning," Schulze said.
Austin Evangelist gave a speech for the cougar. He said this whole process has helped him learn a valuable lesson.
"I think that if I am ever president, I probably won't, but if I am, usually presidents don't get speeches, they get speeches written for, them, but I think that I would like to write my own," Evangelist said.
Both schools hope these experiences turn into actual votes once the elementary school kids become adults.
In Dunlap, students voted for Romney with 170 votes to Obama's 73.
Bolin students will vote on their new mascot Wednesday.
It's a mock election, so their votes don't count, but the experience does.
"Today we're voting and I feel it's important since we don't get to vote, I feel like we get a chance to do it," said student Whitney Michanicou.
"This is the perfect opportunity to use real world excitement and events to teach them a lesson about the importance of voting and civics," said principal, Mandy Ellis.
Ellis said students have been learning about the two candidates and the voting process.
"It's teaching us that we should vote later on because the presidents can make an impact in your life," said Tyler Schmidt.
Bolin School in East Peoria is taking a similar approach with its own campaign rally. Students will vote on another mascot to accompany their Bolin.
Brave. Fourth grade teacher Derek Schulze said students will vote the same way the country votes for the president.
"And we'll also have a popular vote, but the electoral vote will win. That will be the decision we'll go with," Schulze said.
Students made posters to campaign for their candidates, the buffalo the wolf and the cougar.
"We've tried to keep it positive so there's no negative campaigning," Schulze said.
Austin Evangelist gave a speech for the cougar. He said this whole process has helped him learn a valuable lesson.
"I think that if I am ever president, I probably won't, but if I am, usually presidents don't get speeches, they get speeches written for, them, but I think that I would like to write my own," Evangelist said.
Both schools hope these experiences turn into actual votes once the elementary school kids become adults.
In Dunlap, students voted for Romney with 170 votes to Obama's 73.
Bolin students will vote on their new mascot Wednesday.
