News & Events

Rock the Vote

ACC Elects Student Council

Standing in front of their peers, all eyes watching their every movement, ears hanging on every word – this was a moment to remember. This was a moment in which virtues were recognized and the democratic process lived.

This was the moment in which the individual was recognized.

Fifteen teens living at the Anne Carlsen Center (ACC) ran in the four ACC Student Council races. The positions of secretary, treasurer, vice president and president were open, and only the right candidate could fill them.

Nicki B won the competition for student council president, while Nick V was named vice president. Chris L was named secretary, while Tyler D won the race for treasurer.

Creating a Campaign

Wanting to run for office is not enough – there needs to be some substance to inspire the voters.

Campaign posters plastered the walls throughout the Center’s Jamestown Campus in late October, creating a glimpse into each candidate’s platform. Some chose to highlight their strengths, others defended their stance on issues, while still others chose to build their speech around the endorsement of others. 

The day before the nation, and the Center, went to the polls, candidates delivered their nomination speech to the student body. For candidates who are non-verbal, this was made possible through the assistance of some adaptive technology.

“We used an overlay program to help make and develop their speeches,” said ACC Assistive Technology Director Mark Coppin. “This sends text to a ghost reader and gives the speeches a voice.”

Candidates used humor – stemming from local and national issues – and music during their speeches to help deliver their message. Students and staff packed the Center’s auditorium to soak in the excitement.

Rock the Vote

The responsibility of election season isn’t limited to candidates. Election time is also about the voters.

And at ACC, the process of voting has received a technological upgrade.

Voters – in this case, the students at the Center – make their selections in one of two adapted booths. One booth was set up with a touch screen with the candidates’ pictures, while the other is compatible with a switch that records a voter’s selection.

“Students are totally independent with how they make and record their choices,” said Coppin. “It is an anonymous process that simulates a typical voting booth.”

For each race the pictures of the candidates appear in random order on the screen to ensure the voting is as fair as possible. This insures, for instance, a candidate wouldn’t be voted in because he or she is the first choice on the monitor.

Tabulating the votes took less than an hour after the 59 students at the Center were able to cast their vote.

More Than a Title

Winners were named the following morning.

As president, 19-year-old Nikki B will be charged with running each student council meeting – everything from opening and closing the meeting, to making sure the agenda is followed and meeting with speakers that can present during the meeting. Nick V, 18, will carry out the role of vice president, ready to step forward and serve, should the president be unable. Chris L, 17, is in charge of documentation of the student council meetings. As secretary he will share the minutes from the previous meetings and make corrections to any potential errors or omissions to these minutes. Finally, as treasurer, 17-year-old Tyler D is in charge of assembling financial reports that include receipts and disbursements.

Once the celebrations were finished, elected officials set to work fulfilling their campaign promises. The expectations on individuals voted into office are large, as the positions come with plenty of responsibilities.

“We do this so the students have a word in everything the school has to offer,” said Simone Leigh, a teacher at the Center who also works as the student council advisor. “Last year we started a different lunch program where they chose what was on the menu.”

The student council also helps provide a yearbook free of charge for each student. Various fundraisers are created and carried out, helping make sure each student can take with them a year of memories.

“If the student council doesn’t like something, we can change it or attempt to change it,” said Leigh. “Last year we looked at a four-day school week. It didn’t pass, but we tried it.”

There is little doubt as to the excitement felt this time of year by voters. Even the Center staff members, who do not vote in the student council election, are feeling increased energy.

“We are here for the kids,” said Leigh. “I love my job and I’m happy when they’re happy. I love the fact that it’s the kids who are voting. The staff would love to vote, too, but it isn’t about us, it’s about the kids.”