RMS students participate in ‘real’ student council election
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RONAN – “A great opportunity to see what a real voting experience is like” was afforded Ronan Middle School students last week.
Those words from RMS English teacher Janey Salomon described the school’s student council election, which was held Nov. 8 in the school’s library.
Lake County’s elections administrator Katie Harding – Salomon’s daughter – came in the afternoon and brought a “Vote Here” sign, ballot box and “I voted” stickers to distribute.
Harding, who started her new job on June 30, said it’s her goal to educate the public about the voting process.
“I think it’s really encouraging they’re wanting to show the kids how the voting process works,” she said. “I learned it mostly from my parents.”
It was Salomon’s idea for the school to have an official voting process.
Students signed for their ballots, voted in a booth and deposited their ballots into an official ballot box.
“It’s a good learning experience,” seventh-grader Alishon Kelly said. “It teaches kids about responsibility so they’re not clueless when voting.”
Eighth-grader Nicholas Dresen said he felt like a part of a government as an elections official and helping things run smoothly.
He and Kelly were among six students who volunteered to be elections officials. They signed in students, distributed numbered ballots and later counted them.
“It kind of just happened,” said the school’s new librarian Amy Miller. “We realized we could make it as real as possible. We haven’t ever done it (student council elections) to this level,” she said, adding that she worked on the project with Salomon, who had been the school’s librarian for 13 years.
“The kids have been pretty excited about it all day long,” Miller said.
Ronan Middle School student council election results:
Grade 6: President - Jossalyn White, Vice President - Gracie Morigeau, Secretary/Treasurer: Maddey Clary, Student Representative: Beau Decker
Grade 7: President - Trenton Burland, Vice President - Harlee Stokes, Secretary/Treasurer: Leina Ulutoa, Student Representative: Olivia Heiner
Grade 8: President - Payton Cates, Vice President - Kyyen Shigley, Secretary/Treasurer-Alyssa Mockl Student Representative - Aaliyah Decker
