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Derry's tiniest voters hit the polls
DERRY — Most Americans can’t cast a ballot before their 18th birthday, but to the tiniest residents of Derry, age is just a number.
For years, the Derry School District has been working to prime the students for their civic duty. Students at each school have a different question to vote on, including some like “Which field day activity would you like to see happen at field day this year?” and “Please check the box next to the item you would prefer at our end of the year lunch celebration: pizza, or barbecue?”
“It encourages the children to follow in their parents’ footsteps,” said Derry Superintendent Laura Nelson. “It encourages children to be part of the election process, and make it a family event.”
The Students Vote program, which has been ongoing for at least six years, got its start from the national Kids Vote initiative, Nelson said. At each polling place in town, teacher- or parent-voluneers man a table where students “register” by signing themselves in, and are then given a colorful “ballot” that corresponds with their school.
There is a unique ballot for each of the five elementary schools and two middle schools. The principals at each school determine the question students will answer, Nelson said.
“Usually it’s a fairly good turnout from each of the schools,” Nelson said. “Parents, by going to vote and letting students have that opportunity year after year, it instills in them, yes, this is their civic obligation. ... We really do have a voice in making decisions.”
Nelson said the district hopes to one day see parents who themselves voted as students bringing their own children to the school “polls.”
Evan Gregson, 12, a seventh-grade student at Gilbert H. Hood Middle School, said the decision between “pajama day” and “hat day” was an easy call, as opposed to the choices his mom had to make.
“It’s not a really hard decision,” Gregson said. “It wouldn’t affect my life in a big way.”
Sophia Watson, a fifth-grader at Grinnell Elementary School, and her first-grade brother, Jacob, both voted for “superhero day” among the other options of “Hawaiian day” or “future day.”
“I think it was fun,” Sophia said. “We got to vote on superhero day, Hawaiian day or future day. I went for superhero day because I have a great superhero costume — my mom made it.”
For years, the Derry School District has been working to prime the students for their civic duty. Students at each school have a different question to vote on, including some like “Which field day activity would you like to see happen at field day this year?” and “Please check the box next to the item you would prefer at our end of the year lunch celebration: pizza, or barbecue?”
“It encourages the children to follow in their parents’ footsteps,” said Derry Superintendent Laura Nelson. “It encourages children to be part of the election process, and make it a family event.”
The Students Vote program, which has been ongoing for at least six years, got its start from the national Kids Vote initiative, Nelson said. At each polling place in town, teacher- or parent-voluneers man a table where students “register” by signing themselves in, and are then given a colorful “ballot” that corresponds with their school.
There is a unique ballot for each of the five elementary schools and two middle schools. The principals at each school determine the question students will answer, Nelson said.
“Usually it’s a fairly good turnout from each of the schools,” Nelson said. “Parents, by going to vote and letting students have that opportunity year after year, it instills in them, yes, this is their civic obligation. ... We really do have a voice in making decisions.”
Nelson said the district hopes to one day see parents who themselves voted as students bringing their own children to the school “polls.”
Evan Gregson, 12, a seventh-grade student at Gilbert H. Hood Middle School, said the decision between “pajama day” and “hat day” was an easy call, as opposed to the choices his mom had to make.
“It’s not a really hard decision,” Gregson said. “It wouldn’t affect my life in a big way.”
Sophia Watson, a fifth-grader at Grinnell Elementary School, and her first-grade brother, Jacob, both voted for “superhero day” among the other options of “Hawaiian day” or “future day.”
“I think it was fun,” Sophia said. “We got to vote on superhero day, Hawaiian day or future day. I went for superhero day because I have a great superhero costume — my mom made it.”
I think it's a great idea...
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
and we only went on name recognition. I like this model better, because you're at least voting on items you're informed about. Hell, BBQ or Pizza? I'd place a vote for one of those. 
