Every year at Shadow Ridge, Mr. Nighswonger, one of the senior government teachers, hosts a voter drive in his room for the younger U.S. History students. He just hosted his 8th voter drive on Thursday and Friday, October 17th and 18th.
In these voter drives, all of the senior government classes come together and each student presents and explains a certain portion of a voting ballot, giving reasons why everyone should register to vote.
According to Mr. Nighswonger, “It is an important first step into adulthood.”
The voter drives are great opportunities for students to get a taste of what they want and don’t want to vote for.
Mr. Nighswonger comments, “They are the future. They [students] need to start taking ownership and taking charge of how our country grows and changes.”
Government classes also provide the lesson of how to register to vote, which can be really useful for seniors.
Senior Taylor McEvoy helped host the voter drive this year. She comments, “I made flyers with my partner, Aubrey Jaramillo, and handed them out to the guests who came.”
McEvoy also handed out waffles and other snacks and drinks to the students and staff taking a walk around all of the presentations.
Government classes don’t just teach students how to vote, but they also teach them the importance of knowing how to vote, and the importance of voting itself.
McEvoy comments, “I learned how important it is to educate each other on important topics of our world such as voting.”
It’s important for seniors to take government to learn about all of the things they’ll experience during their first election.
“I believe Government has helped me learn the importance of discussion and staying open to all and every viewpoint on all topics,” adds McEvoy. “It also has helped me become more comfortable in making decisions for my future as I approach the end of high school.”
Knowing the details of elections and voting are really important, especially for seniors who are old enough to vote in the 2024 election.
The voter drives are great opportunities to learn so much about not just voting, but the politicians one can vote for.
McEvoy comments, “We were doing a much bigger service than just handing out waffles and sitting behind pretty posters.”
This year’s voter drive had a lot of traction and popularity.
McEvoy says, “I feel very proud of the drive. Everyone was impressed with my waffles and I told my peers how even though it seems like a silly idea Coach Nighswonger came up with, a lot of people were saying they had learned a lot about what they were voting for this November.”
