Students at Stafford High School don’t have to go through the complexities of democracy and aren’t confined to textbooks anymore; they’re able to play out a real debate and campaign presentations due to an ambitious project led by history teacher Thomas Coen. Coen’s students are spearheading their own political campaigns which was designed to give students a first-hand look at the political process here in America.
“It’s all a learning process. I think the students that are running are very good for this and will do excellent,” Chen said excitedly. “This isn’t just a theory, it’s an application. When they’re going to cast their first vote, soon they’ll understand what kind of work goes on behind being an informed voter,” he added.
This project has been going on for a few weeks now and it’s a great example of a general election. It has two student-led “parties” in formal platforms campaigning around the school. They bring their platforms into specific classrooms and have public debates simulating real-world experiences.
The two “parties” Coen has in his second block Y day are The Crimson Eagle Federation and Sequoia Party. The Crimson Eagle Federation’s (The Federation) president is Broderick “Brody” Johnson, and the vice president is Patrick Stevens. The Sequoia party’s president is Penelope Brianas, and the vice president is James Kyanos.
The Federation president’s focus is on efficiency within the school and advocating for people who struggle with grades. Johnson believes that the world is moving fast and our school isn’t keeping up with the time. His party is fighting for extensive computer science electives and an online grading platform other than the current Synergy Studentvue application.
Brianas’ focus is on improving students’ wellness and social cohesion. The Sequoia party pis making a push for better mental health resources, weekly drop-in sessions with counselors and have a committee that addresses issues with stress and academic pressure. “We can’t learn properly if we don’t have the support we need,” Brianas explained. “I want every student to be heard, seen, and valued.”
This relies heavily on public speaking, they have to enter multiple classrooms to present their sides. Lynne Lansford, a Spanish teacher, is one of a handful of educators that opened her classroom doors to the parties and their political rhetoric.
“I think it’s a great idea for them to do this,” commented Julia Heflin, a sophomore at SHS who watched one of the campaigns. “Not only does it help them especially if they want to do something with politics when they get older, it also helps the students learn about them and try and see it their own way.” Julia added.
The election ends this week with the classes casting their votes. No matter who wins this election has been a learning process for everyone.
“The thing that matters most is the preparation that these students have done; not who wins,” Coen concluded. “They have done research on their side, done their public speaking, learned to negotiate. The thing that’s most important is that they have seen how their voice can be heard and that their vote holds power.” He added.
*This story has been changed from its original form to update the spelling of Coen’s name.
