As Election Day approaches and politicians across the country try to woo voters, students at six Mission schools hit the polls themselves this week.
Albert McMahon, Edwin S. Richard, Christine Morrison and West Heights elementary schools, along with older students at Fraserview Learning Centre and Mission secondary deposited mock ballots in student votes meant to mimic the real election under way.
At École Christine Morrison elementary, 157 students in Grades 4, 5 and 6 cast ballots according to teacher Vivian Searwar. It was the first time the entire school had participated in a mock election, and Searwar said the process seemed to have been a success.
Earlier in the year, Searwar contacted Elections Canada for a unit to study during social studies classes.
The election demonstrated many of the principles and rights that students had learned about, Searwar said.
“They learn about their rights as Canadian citizens and they learn about their responsibilities,” she said.
Searwar said the students got very engaged in the process.
“The kids were going home and initiating conversations about the election,” Searwar said.
Just like their parents who may have voted early, the students will have to wait until next week to see who got the bulk of the votes. The results of student voting across the country and at specific schools from Mission and hundreds of other Canadian cities will be searchable online at studentvote.ca