Elementary students learn importance of voting

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) —  Students at Castle Hayne Elementary are voting, not for whom they want as President, but the song they want to dance to on the way out of school.

After school every Friday, the students leave school dancing to a song chosen by the school principal.

Both students and staff at Castle Hayne Elementary believe voting important. School Principal Cyndy Bliss told us, “”We play a song every Friday so the fact that they get to pick the song instead of me picking the song is very exciting to them.”

The school’s voting process is like the real election just in a kid friendly way. Each student nominated their favorite song. The top four songs were selected and placed on the ballot, but before they got to vote, they had to fill out a voter ID card. After that, they were taken to individual booths to cast their ballot.

Candy Robbins the school social worker said, “The students need to understand the democratic process that they have a voice in this country, and their voice needs to be heard.”

Some kids even made campaign posters weeks in advance to get fellow classmates to vote for their favorite song. Fifth graders, Amethyst and Daniel are on student council. They say voting in school helps prepare them for the future.

Amethyst Ryan, 5th grade student council member told us, “I think it’s important because we should feel included and also it gets us ready for the real world when we actually have to vote.”

It’s an activity the school prides itself on, making sure students understand the importance of voting.

“I think it’s important that they learn that their vote matters. That collectively the most votes will win,” said Alison Linkner, the school’s AIG teacher, “Yeah we are having a lot of fun. We want to stay here all day but we have to go to lunch.”

The winning song will be announced Friday morning and played Friday afternoon.