Eighth-grade elections get revamped
If there's one issue that eighth graders at Hillsboro Middle School care about, it's bookbags.
Or rather, the right to carry their bookbags into classrooms.
That was evident Wednesday morning, as eight students pled their case before their peers during a campaign debate. Each was vying for a position as officer of the eighth-grade class.
As the eight students sat on the auditorium stage facing the rest of their classmates, counselor and social studies teacher Tonja Wienck asked some of the questions that their peers wanted answered:
What issues do you feel strongly about? What would you change and why?
For Whitney Allen, who's running for vice president, students should be allowed to carry their bookbags into classrooms. Also, there should be more school dances.
Lucas Hamm, also running for vice president, advocates a change in the dress code. Students should be allowed to wear shorts in the winter if they want to, he said.
A third VP candidate, Aaron Stepanek, thinks that teachers shouldn't assign so much homework on game nights. It's tough to get it done while riding on the bus, he said.
The debate was an example of democracy in action right here in Hillsboro.
It's a new event for the middle school. Previously, eighth-grade elections were held in the spring, and they weren't taken too seriously, said eighth-grade teacher Sharon Loewen. The officers served during the next school year, as freshmen at the high school.
This year, the system is different. Each student interested in running for office — either president, vice president, or secretary — had to fill out an application for the job, complete with references. And no family members could be given as references, Loewen said.
A group of teachers selected the top applicants to run for office. Running for president are Alex Nuss and Michael Suderman. Candidates for vice president are Allen, Darren Enns, Hamm, and Stepanek. And running for secretary are JuliAnn Chisholm and Janet Glahn.
Some of the responsibilities of the officers will include conducting meetings according to Robert's Rules of Parliamentary Procedure, serving on committees, and planning the 8th grade promotion — not to mention providing leadership for their classmates.
The implementation of Robert's Rules of Parliamentary Procedure is another big change, Loewen said. For example, to make a decision, students will have to make motions and take votes.
"We needed something to keep class meetings in order," she said.
Election day comes this Friday, when ballots are handed out to every student during club time. The winners will be announced early next week.
Loewen is pleased with the way things are going. The students seem to be taking the elections more seriously, she said.
