The Oakland Press/TIM THOMPSON 4th grader Danny Taylor gives a campaign speech at to the students at Holly Academy school
The Oakland Press/TIM THOMPSON 4th graders at Holly Academy, give campaign speeches to the students at the school. The students studied the candidates and issues and will vote for the presidential candidates on Tuesday. Monday, November 5, 2012.
The Oakland Press/TIM THOMPSON Sam Cox, 9, and Sydnie Meszler, 9, prepare to vote at Holly Academy. The students studied the candidates and issues and will vote for the presidential candidates on Tuesday. Monday, November 5, 2012.
The Oakland Press/TIM THOMPSON 4th grader Allison Denman gives a campaign speech at to the students at Holly Academy school. The students studied the candidates and issues and will vote for the presidential candidates on Tuesday. Monday, November 5, 2012.
There is no doubt that Holly Academy students will be prepared to make their own bid for presidency when they grow up — especially the fourth graders.Wearing white straw hats with red, white and blue bands, 9-year-olds Sam Cox, Sydnie Meszler, Danny Taylor and Allison Denman were among the charter school’s 107 fourth graders who took the podium Monday to make a campaign speech.
They tried to convince their near-900 schoolmates in kindergarten through eighth grade to vote for the presidential candidate assigned them while a life-size poster of President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney stood nearby. Also in the audience were school staff, parents and community members.
The entire student body was scheduled to vote in a mock election today while their parents went to the “real” polls to make their selections on the long general election ballot.
“Students are active participants in every step of the election process,” said parent ambassador Melissa Wiaduck. “All students worked individually and as groups to research their candidate’s platforms, write speeches for their assigned candidate, create campaign posters, and run the school-wide voting day.”
The objective was to inform students about the three branches of government and how to use research to make informed voting decisions.
Holly Academy Teacher Emily Brown, who was among the four teachers who began planning in August with dozens of parent volunteers assisting, said: “We hope this unit will highlight the importance of being active within a community as well as ignite a passion to exercise the right to vote.”
Academy Director Julie Kildee said while students experienced the election process from start to finish, they mastered grade-level expectations and common core standards “in an authentic, high-interest way.” Continued...
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