On Tuesday, April 24th, students and staff participated in a mock
rimary election. Several weeks prior, students began studying our electoral system and how they can participate. Students filled out a practice voter registration form, learned the difference between a primary election and the general election, and followed the news as Pennsylvania's Rick Santorum dropped out of the race a week before the election. On Election Day, students manned the polling place (the library conference room) where a voting booth was set up. The students manned the different stations, helping people sign in to vote, checking their IDs, informing them how to get behind the curtained off voting area, and collecting the paper ballots afterwards. Virtually all students voted, including one who knew he was to be away on an appt that day that left an absentee ballot to be counted with the others. Many staff, teachers, clinicians, and other CHOR employees also voted with us.
rimary election. Several weeks prior, students began studying our electoral system and how they can participate. Students filled out a practice voter registration form, learned the difference between a primary election and the general election, and followed the news as Pennsylvania's Rick Santorum dropped out of the race a week before the election. On Election Day, students manned the polling place (the library conference room) where a voting booth was set up. The students manned the different stations, helping people sign in to vote, checking their IDs, informing them how to get behind the curtained off voting area, and collecting the paper ballots afterwards. Virtually all students voted, including one who knew he was to be away on an appt that day that left an absentee ballot to be counted with the others. Many staff, teachers, clinicians, and other CHOR employees also voted with us.
The next day, students counted the ballots and analyzed them according to class and overall, and comparing them with the election results as reported in the Reading Eagle. This is always one of the most popular and engaging of the social studies units each year.
By Jim Vogelgesang
Teacher, Children's Home of Reading
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