FALL RIVER/WAVERLEY: What better time for students at local schools to learn and experience voting then during a municipal election.
That’s what students did at several local schools in communities that The Laker News covers in the lead up to tonight’s Oct. 19 municipal election.
Students—and Michelle Dey, librarian–at Georges P. Vanier Junior High in Fall River invited Pat Healey down to take in their student vote on Thursday afternoon.
Three students spoke to Healey about the experience of voting even in a mock election.
The three told Healey what they heard from the candidates, and how they think projects like this will help them and any student that participates in the future when they are age eligible to legally cast a ballot.
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Grade 6 student Kaylah Duncan said she enjoyed getting the opportunity to vote.
“It prepares me for when I’m older and helps to let us know how it works and what to do instead of going blindly,” she said.
“It helps us know what the candidates are about as well.
Chris Balcom, incumbent Cathy Deagle Gammon, and Angela Dennison were the candidates vying to be on HRM Regional council as District 1 representative.
The students watched the video interviews that The Laker News conducted with them in lieu of a proper candidates forum.
“I think the ideas they were thinking of is good because they want to help the community, and it helps us,” said Kaylah.
She said she feels prepared for when its time to really cast her vote.
“I don’t like going into something blindly, I like going in prepared,” Kaylah said. “Like for a test you prepare for it with homework, and that way your prepared for the test. I like being prepared.”
Grayson Slade, a Grade 6 student, said he had never got to participate in StudentVote before, so he enjoyed it.
“It was interesting to do,” said Grayson. “I liked it because it will prepare me for the future and that’s what it’s all about.’
He said he watched the video interviews so he knew which candidate to vote for that would best serve his community. Grayson thinks other schools should do them.
“I think they should as it benefits us,” he said.
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Nolan Keenan said he found it fun.
“It was nice to be able to vote and learn about the process since we can’t really vote for a few more years,” said Nolan, a Grade 8 student.
He said the video interviews the student watched were very helpful.
“Through the videos that we watched is how I made my decision,”
said Nolan.
He said he liked that it was taken seriously.
“It was like a real one and we got to have that experience,” said Nolan. .
Dey said it’s important for students to partake because politics is very abstract and add in voting and that can be really intimidating.
“Civix’s puts this really nice program together where students get to experience it, and question it, and really understand the process and starts to understand why its important to be part of it,” said Dey.
At Waverley Memorial School, Dey collaborates with Mrs. Shelly Rigby to hold the Student Vote there for their students.
Other schools form the Laker News area that Civix said are participating in the municipal election mock vote include: Lockview High; Millwood High School; Leslie Thomas Junior High; Smokey Drive Elementary; Uniacke District School; Elmsdale District School; and Hants East Rural High School.
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Dey said the enthusiasm was great from the students for the vote.
“I find when we do the student vote, with our 850 students voting, there’s only a few silyl ballots, they’re taking it very seriously,” said Dey. “It’s a very real adult-felling experience.”
She was asked how she feels a program like Student Vote helps the students out.
“I think the most important thing, for me, it brings the topic to their mind,” she said.
Now they’re talking about it. They’re talking about it with you Pat, with us, with their parents/guardians at home.
“They’re just chatting about it and that’s huge because it’s such an abstract thing. They will never discuss it unless it’s brought to their attention and made to feel like real and they can effect.”
Dey said Civix’s provides such great resources.
“I love doing it,” said Dey. “I find it’s one of the most rewarding programs.”
