Vernon students vote in mock elections

VERNON — Whether voting for their favorite patriotic color, song or presidential candidate, students within Vernon Township Public Schools cast their ballots in a genuine, district-wide Election Day.
Under the coordination of Nicholas Demsak, District Supervisor of Social Studies and World Languages, and Vernon Technology Integration Specialists, Jacquelyn Van Orden and Janet DeSenzo, the students of all six Vernon schools were given the opportunity to demonstrate their civic responsibility by participating in a realistic voting experience. Throughout the district, students reported to “School-wide Polling Places” and lined up, ready to register and vote. After completing school-specific voting tickets, each student used online ballots to cast his or her vote. The district-wide election was as authentic as could be, and it served as a place where students not only mimicked the voting process that will be experienced in future adult years, but where they could also receive a first-hand understanding of the significance and importance of civic responsibility.
At Lounsberry Hollow Middle School, sixth-grade students from the classrooms of Colleen Ranzan and Janine Latella took the lead on planning and orchestrating the Mock Election for their school. These student leaders created the voting ballot, set up sign-in booths in the cafeteria, and then directed interested voters to their polling places. From there, the students served as poll workers to fully replicate the real voting experience. One student even took the initiative to monitor the “live returns” and provided data analytics to staff members and students throughout the election.
Ranzan commented, “Many years from now, my students will not remember dates and events that they were not part of, but they will remember this experience. It allowed my students to understand the process of an election and it may even motivate them to become registered voters when they get older.”
In anticipation of the Mock Election at Glen Meadow Middle School, eighth-grade teachers Greg Jablonski and Sarah Ragone organized an “Issues Fair” for students to discuss various socio-political topics of the United States presidential election. There, students equally presented bipartisan issues and were able to talk about matters that are important to them, during prepared speeches and from presentation booths. The “Issues Fair” was organized much like a typical Science Fair and was set-up in the Glen Meadow Middle School gymnasium. Reflecting on the event, Jablonski stated, “To facilitate student learning while history was being written, and to watch our students lead learning experiences as well as a mock election for their peers…that was deeply heartening.”