For kindergartener Ashley Wampfler, the choice for president was easy.
One of thousands of elementary school kids in Clarkston to participate Monday in a national mock election, Ashley talked to her mom beforehand, but already had her mind made up.
‘She told me she was voting for John McCain,? said Christine Wampfler, who volunteered to help administer the election at Springfield Plains Elementary. ‘She said ‘Barak Obama is on TV too much and he interrupts my cartoons.??
Whatever the reasons behind their individual choice, students filed in and out of the school’s computer lab all day long to make a selection: McCain or Obama.
The mock election, according to sponsor American Legacy Publishing, was designed to provide students with ‘a rich civics experience that mirrors the real election as closely as possible.?
An estimated 5 million students in grades K-6 participated, casting ballots via Internet from schools across the U.S.
‘It’s been a fabulous week,? said Media Specialist Sharon Crain, who coordinated the election at SPE. ‘The kids are so passionate about this, and they all come in and know who they want to vote for. Often, they have ideas they’ve picked up at home, like ‘you don’t want to vote for that one because gas prices will go up,? but they talk about it like it’s coming straight from the heart.?
In the media center, as well as in a number of classrooms through out the school, students were able to keep an eye on how the vote was going in each state via an electoral map refreshed every 10 minutes on American Legacy Publishing’s website.
The kids, several teachers noted, were ‘glued to the monitor? with genuine interest in the outcome.
In the week leading up to the election, Crain read a different book to each grade level, and followed with age-appropriate discussions on topics ranging from campaign promises and political parties to the significance of each color in the American flag.
‘We talked about how we’re fortunate to live in a democracy and have the right to choose,? she said. ‘And about how people in a lot of other countries don’t have that right.?
But, Crain said, staffers working on the project made a conscious effort to avoid influencing the kids? decision, encouraging them instead to talk parents and other family members.
Still, she noted, the activity fueled quite a few inquiries.
Kids, she said, asked questions like ‘Why do I have to wait until I’m 18 to vote?? Or, ‘Why do we only get to choose between these two candidates when our parents get more on the real ballot? What if I don’t want to vote for either one? Why isn’t Ralph Nader on our ballot??
All, she said, good questions to fuel lots of discussion.
‘It was a great platform for talking about our rights as American citizens,? Crain said.
‘We each have one voice, and one thing we stressed to the kids was ‘you may have boys and girls sitting next to you who will vote for the other candidate, and it’s important to be respectful to everyone even if they don’t agree with you.?
Fifth-grader Ashley Robin said she got the message.
‘I learned people have different opinions,? said Robin, a member of SPE’s student council. ‘Even in our school, some like McCain and some like Obama, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Each person has their own reasons and believes (the candidate) they like has what it takes to lead and do the job.?
The student council, made up of two representatives from each class of third, fourth and fifth graders, helped facilitate Monday’s mock election.
‘We talked about what it would be like compared to our school election,? said teacher Matt Gifford, who also serves as advisor to the 27-member council. ‘We wanted to keep it as much like a real precinct as possible’quiet and private. If you wanted to tell someone who you voted for, fine, but if not, no one should demand to know.?
The student council, he said, was assigned in shifts to help explain the process to kids and answer questions.
‘We’re also hoping that kids knowing about the election would encourage their parents to go out and vote, as well,? he said.
It seemed likely, since many emerged from the experience with a new understanding.
‘We have to wait a long time until we can really vote,? said fifth-grader Maria Trembay, who also serves on the student council. ‘I think it’s a good idea to have kids do an election because you get an idea what it’s like and it makes you proud to be part of it.?
The mock election results are available to the public at www.studiesweeklyvote.com.