About 100,000 students across the province will cast a ballot as part of Student Vote this spring.
More than 700 schools have registered in the program, which is in its 10th year, and is the 20th Student Vote program.
“The purpose of Student Vote is to engage students in the democratic process and develop the skills of citizenship with students under the voting age. As well, and possibly more importantly, is to provide future voters with a voice in this campaign, so that politicians and political parties can address their concerns,” said Taylor Gunn, president of CIVIX and chief election officer of Student Vote.
As part of Student Vote, students can learn about the voting process, the candidates in their area, hold debates with the candidates, and at the end they hold a mock vote to select which candidate they would vote for. Those results will then be shared with Global BC on May 14.
Cook said each student had a job to do throughout the process and they took their roles very seriously.
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Teaching the program in Dease Lake is going to prevent its own challenges however.
“In Nelson, the election was all over the town,” said Cook. “In the news, in the newspapers, and where the students saw it the most, on billboards or on people’s front lawns. I also sent home information for the parents and students to fill out with their kids when they were watching TV or walking around town.”
“Here, even the thought of the election is nowhere to be found outside of their house as well as inside of their house,” she added. “No one is talking about it! We will not see the MP of this region, because the Stikine is so large! That being said, I know I am going to have to supplement my lessons this time around with different fun and exciting video clips and movies about elections and politics.”
Gunn said Elections Canada has found three beneficiaries from the Student Vote program, teachers, students and parents.
“For me the most interesting part of Student Vote is the change in engagement of students reported to us by teachers,” said Gunn. “They tell us that at the beginning of the campaign when they describe the program, students are not interested. By the end of the campaign, their students are more knowledgeable than their parents and entirely engaged in the election.”
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