Left to right: Second graders Aliyah Henderson, Jaidan Palmer, Laura Vandermillen, and Termira Whetstone cast their votes for President.
The national and local elections in early November provided extensive learning opportunities throughout Paul Cuffee School. Students studied the electoral process as well as some of the most prominent issues facing the United States and Rhode Island.
Since they are quickly approaching voting age, students in grades 9-11 were required to engage in election-related activities outside of school. A hardy band of ninth graders, under the direction of teacher Aaron Woodward, canvassed neighborhoods in New Hampshire one Saturday encouraging residents to exercise their civic duty and vote.
Left to right: Seventh graders Jzamilex Ramos and Lili Metts proudly display their voter registration cards.
On election day, seventh graders engaged in a local phone campaign to encourage voters to go to the polls. Middle school students also participated in their own mock election, complete with voter registration cards. Similarly, second graders learned how to register to vote, received voting ID cards, and held elections in which they voted for their presidential choice.