Student Council Elections

introducing the first party

the leader of the first party

 Each year the school holds what we would consider student council elections. This year there were two parties made up of 7th grade students. One party from each of the two classes. The first party leader was the winner from last year, so it would have been easy to just let him continue. However, in teaching students about democracy they still went about with the whole thing. The prepared posters and signs for a week and posted them around the school. Then after chapel on Monday and Tuesday they each got to share their parties platforms and introduce themselves. Friday the elections were opened by explaining the importance of elections and each of the teacher's jobs, as well as the different voting "stations" set up by grade. After a prayer the students were released to their areas to vote. The two parties were split up and sent to each voting station to make sure the elections were fair. In the kindergarten classes they ended up having to help the students make an X in the box they chose. I was proud to see that no matter what party they were from they didn't try to change the youngsters vote. It was so cute to watch them helping. After all the votes were cast in each station they then opened the boxes and pulled out the votes one by one to tally them before the voting district as the Thais would in a real election. The 5th-7th grade voted in the meeting hall, so everyone gathered back together to tally up those final votes and to bring in the votes from each of the other 4 stations to add in. Once all the votes were tallied the winner was announced (not a surprise it was the same student as last year). The losing party was given a chance to thank their supporters, and then the winner was given a chance as well. My job for the day was to take pictures in each class and make sure no cheating was going on. I can honestly say that I didn't see any cheating and that it was a fair election as far as I could tell. Congratulations to the winning party. May you help the teachers and school throughout the year.

introducing the second party

the second party talking to the students in the morning the

day before the election, looking for votes

praying for both parties and for a fair election process

helping the Kindergarten vote

5th graders voting

tallying the third and fourth graders votes

teachers tallying the 5th-7th graders votes

tallying the votes once they are announced live

the second party thanking their supporters

the leader of the winning party thanking the people who voted for them.