STUDENT VOTE –
Local kids participate in nationwide mock election
Public and separate schools across the Hat are participating in Student Vote this week, a nationwide federal election simulation intended to get young Canadians engaged in the political process, before many of them are eligible to vote in real life.
The initiative is part of the Civixx project, which works to inform students about electoral politics. Civixx provides the resources for the students to conduct their election — ballots, boxes and instructional videos.
“Just this past week, they sent us a lot about our candidates running in our riding and different lessons we can share with our students,” said Angel Jackle, a Notre Dame Academy teacher who’s serving as the school’s Student Vote co-ordinator.
She says 240 students and Notre Dame are eligible to participate.
“They’re pretty excited about it, because they see the candidate signs coming up in Medicine Hat. Most of their parents are already discussing it,” said Jackle.
She said Wednesday she taught her Grade 6 students about political platforms and the various candidates in the riding.
Since the kids had seen “Vote for Dave” signs throughout the city, Jackle explained to them that not all candidates represent a party.
Crescent Heights High School Student Vote co-ordinator Heather McCaig, who teaches Grades 7-12, says all 1,200 students at the school are eligible to vote.
“It sparks conversation in the home in regards to political parties and Canada’s politics. It also gives the kids an idea of what voting is like,” said McCaig.
“We hope that once they turn 18 they’re more likely to vote and take part in the process, because they’ve been through it a few times at school.”
Grade 11 Crescent Heights student Jayla Hernendez says she doesn’t turn 18 until next year, so she relishes the opportunity to participate in some form.
“Even if you can’t vote, it should be nice to be actually heard,” she said.
Hernendez has been looking at the various candidates’ platforms, which are on display prominently near the school’s entrance.
McCaig says it’s crucial for youth to learn about how valuable their right to vote is.
“Often times Canadians forget that people die around the world in order to have a chance to vote. We’ve been so lucky in the last 100 years that we haven’t had to go through that in order to have the democratic ability to choose our leadership, so it’s really, really important for kids to know it’s a big deal,” said McCaig.
The Student Vote involves more than a million students at 9,500 schools across the country, in all 338 ridings.