Several Columbia High School students have formed opinions on Donald Trump, Gov. Nathan Deal’s school takeover plan and other issues. They planned to express their viewpoints Monday through their votes. The DeKalb County School District partnered with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. to educate students on the electoral process, from voter registration through election.
“Our ultimate goal was to have them engage in the civic process and want them to become informed and engaged voters for the rest of their lives,” said Barbara Long, a sorority member and assistant principal at Ronald E. McNair High School.
Students have been engaged in election conversations in civics and economics classes, discussing everything from presidential debate topics to the Georgia ballot measure on empowering the state to take over some schools.
The Columbia High field trip was one of several where eligible high school students have been bused to early voting locations to have their in-class lessons put into practice. Those will continue at high schools across the district through Election Day. So far, more than 200 students have voted in the exercise.
“I feel like voting is important for young people,” said Columbia High School senior Notheria Banks, who was going on the field trip to the Memorial Drive early voting precinct. “We don’t get to share our opinion much. This is to get people to see we have our own opinion.”
Long said she pulled from the district’s curriculum standards and designed lessons around the electoral process. The sorority holds twice-yearly voter registration drives at the high schools, but extended its outreach to include Know Before You Go sessions, where speakers discuss ballot initiatives and other parts of the process with the students.
“Students … are basically low-hanging fruit,” sorority member Charlene Love said. “It’s like ‘Let’s get them registered,’ but if they don’t show up, you kind of defeated the purpose. So we’re getting them together and taking them to the polls.”
Angel Bacon was worried about Amendment 1, which could establish a state school district out of schools considered to be failing. Nothing she’s heard has been beneficial for the students in the affected schools, she said.
“It’s a lot,” she said.
Columbia High senior Lutrell Ray was nervous. He’s been preparing for the election for weeks and wants to make sure his vote for Democratic Presidential Nominee Hillary Clinton is counted.
“I want to put my word out there just like everybody else,” he said.
He kept hearing over and over in his head the advice from various speakers since the school year began. Take your time. Read through the amendments. Don’t rush.
“I’ve never had this kind of experience,” he said.
The best part of the process, Long says? Showing students how their vote counts.
“We have a say in who’s elected,” she said, “if we participate.”
About the Author
