The eighth grade election is a greatly-anticipated event that all eighth-graders get to participate in, whether as a voter, a senator, a campaign staff member, or a presidential candidate. It simulates a real presidential election very well. Everyone has an opportunity to have any role in the election process.
Every student completed voting registration cards so they could vote for the next step in the election.
Each US History class represents a state in the Republic of POMS, and each state has two senators to represent their state and lead classroom discussions. “Senators run the meeting and make sure it flows smoothly,” said Senator Dillon Murti.
The members of each class proposed state names, and they voted on the names. They also decided on state discussion ordinances.
Next, the students completed a survey that helped them decide which platform, or party, they were most aligned with. There are three parties, Mustang, the more “conservative” party, Bronco, the party that wants the most change, and Palomino, the “middle” party. Each student could choose their party based on their views, but ultimately, the choice is up to them. Some people have already noticed the trends toward the Bronco and Palomino parties. It turns out many people think Pin Oak has room for improvement.
The presidential candidates are preparing for the primary elections by performing small speeches in front of the class at team time, and some of their elective classes. Some of their main concerns are the dress code policy, cafeteria food, and adding time to team time and clubs.
Many have some questions about the effectiveness of this election. Will it make a difference to our school? Will the changes the candidates have proposed really follow through? “I think I will make a bit of difference, but I will mainly be just representing the students,” candidate Zhongyou Wu said at an impromptu speech on February 2. Maia Vo, another presidential candidate, disagrees. “With good representation and good debating skills, you can fight to make changes in your school,” she said. We will find out which is really true during the course of the election.
Eighth grade students, remember: the primary elections will take place on Friday, February 9, so make your choices! For a full list of presidential candidates, see below.
We’ll keep you updated about the eighth grade election in the next issue of the Pin Oak press, and may the best candidate win!