Leonard Elementary students got a taste of how democracy works from inside the very same voting booths used by their parents in local, state and national elections.
Last week, Addison Township loaned the school four of its voting booths to use in the student council election.
Students in the third, fourth and fifth grades went to the polls to elect their council’s president and vice president.
Fifth-grade teacher Jennifer Coggins said the exercise was designed to provide students with a ‘real-world? experience, teach them about their fundamental right to privacy as voters and get them in the habit of ‘making good decisions.?
‘It doesn’t matter if they’re friends with the person who is running, they need to make good choices (for the school),? she said.
Only fifth-graders can run for president and vice president.
Presidential candidates included Brennan McDevitt, Wyatt Geibel, Ryan Lundy, Dominic Crocenzi, Devyn Hughes, Samantha Kirchler, Wyatt Ashley and Gracie Phelps.
Vice presidential candidates were Christa Hull, Autumn Wade, Emma Wassell, Gabe Losee and Lilli McDevitt.
In the end, Phelps won the presidency, while Lilli McDevitt will take over as vice president.
‘It was a very close race,? Coggins said. ‘I actually counted (the ballots) twice.?
A total of 160 students voted.