STEAM Program trains students to be poll workers
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Voters around the valley may have noticed students wearing T-shirts that say, “A smiling face at your polling place” at the polls on May 8.
These students were part of the Student Teams for Election Assistance in Montana class at Salish Kootenai College. The STEAM program was developed to help eliminate the critical shortage of poll workers. The two-credit class required students learn about democracies and the American election process, both tribal and United States.
Students received the same training as poll workers for the Lake County Election Office when they spent the day at the Lake County Courthouse. Courthouse departments all sent a representative to explain their jobs to the students. As part of the course requirements, the students were also required to spend four hours volunteering at a polling place in Lake County on May 8.
Approximately 34 SKC students and faculty took the class according to instructors Tracie McDonald and Chris Strom. The STEAM program was a partnership between the Indigenous Math and Science Institute and the SKC Career Center. The grant funding the program was a joint effort between SKC and Flathead Valley Community College in Kalispell.
