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Elementary students participate in mock election

| November 9, 2016
Students at Coshocton Elementary School participated in a mock election on Tuesday, Nov. 8 in which all Coshocton elementary students had the option to vote. Beth Scott | Beacon

Students at Coshocton Elementary School participated in a mock election on Tuesday, Nov. 8 in which all Coshocton elementary students had the option to vote. Beth Scott | Beacon

COSHOCTON – Adults weren’t the only ones voting on Election Day. Elementary students also were given the opportunity to see who their school would select as President of the United States if they were old enough to vote.

Coshocton Elementary School’s mock election on Nov. 8 was run by the sixth graders. They’ve been learning about the democratic system in social studies and served as poll workers.

“We thought this would be a great way to get the kids involved and get them excited about voting,” said Wendy Kimberley, sixth grade social studies teacher.

All Coshocton elementary students had the option to vote and the teachers did their best to make the event as interesting as possible. Sixth grade teachers Wendy Kimberley and Tim Ward dressed up as the presidential candidates and another teacher Michael McKee came to school decked out in his Americana fringed shirt.

Tiffany Haines (far left) is pictured helping second graders at Keene Elementary School cast their ballot in the school’s mock election that was held Nov. 8. Josie Sellers | Beacon

Tiffany Haines (far left) is pictured helping second graders at Keene Elementary School cast their ballot in the school’s mock election that was held Nov. 8. Josie Sellers | Beacon

Keene Elementary also worked Election Day into its Right to Read Week activities.

“All week we’ve been talking about freedoms and liberties,” said Tiffany Haines, a reading intervention specialist at the school who organized Right to Read Week.

On Election Day all students in kindergarten through sixth grade were given the opportunity to come to the gym and vote. They voted for whom they think should be President of the United States and on fun topics such as their favorite school lunch, reward, spirit day, special class like music, physical education or art, and party day.

After they voted they received official voter stickers that were donated from the board of elections. The students also made voter registration identification cards that they brought with them to their polling location.

Second grader Natalie Bradford was happy they got to participate in an election.

“We aren’t allowed to vote since we aren’t 18, but we need a President who is good,” she said.

Her classmates Taylor Brehm and Havanna Hinojosa said they learned about voting this week from the Dr. Seuss book “One Vote, Two Votes, I Vote, You Vote.”

“It’s important to vote,” Brehm said. “We need a president for our country.”

At Keene Donald Trump won the presidential election with 175 votes compared to Hillary Clinton’s 71. At Coshocton, Trump also won with 449 votes compared to Clinton’s 351 votes.

Editor’s note: Reporter Beth Scott also contributed to this story.

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About the Author ()

I started my journalism career in 2002 with a daily newspaper chain. After various stops with them, I am happy to be back home! I graduated from Coshocton High School in 1998 and received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication in 2002 from Walsh University. I also earned several awards while working for daily papers, including being honored by Coshocton County’s veterans for the stories I wrote about them. I am honored and ready to once again shine a positive light on Coshocton County. I also am the proud mother of a little girl named Sophia!

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