Michele Cumberland is a Grade 8 teacher at Holy Cross in Penticton. Since 2017, she's been organizing mock elections at the school alongside actual federal, provincial and municipal elections.

Image Credit: Dan Walton, Local Journalism Initiative

The youngsters at Holy Cross School in Penticton are getting a head start on democracy thanks to one passionate educator.

Michele Cumberland, a teacher at the kindergarten to grade eight school, has been facilitating mock elections – called Student Vote – at the school since 2017. Since then, students have been collectively deciding upon their preferred winners alongside actual federal, provincial and municipal elections.

Each election cycle is a major undertaking at Holy Cross. Students in her Grade 8 class get split into groups and assigned a political party to study. They also focus on some of the major issues, and then share their findings with the rest of the school from Grades 3 and up.

Some municipal candidates have participated in person, making their case to the student body while facing questions from a panel of eighth graders.

Voting takes place in the gym, where posters from each party are hanging to remind students about what each party stands for.

After the polls close, ballots are counted by students, with student scrutineers to ensure a legitimate process.

“Even though we had young candidates running (in Penticton’s 2022 municipal election), they (pupils) didn’t elect young people,” Cumberland said. “It was a very different slate of candidates than who actually got in.”

Mock elections are important to Cumberland because she feels like students aren’t being prepared enough for the real thing.

“How to be an active citizen has to be taught, just like reading and math have to be taught,” she said.

But it’s not just mock elections held at Holy Cross – sometimes they vote on real-life issues. Should students be allowed to opt out of wearing the school uniform a couple times each month? Should Mrs. Cumberland have to wear a uniform once a week?

The pupils in her class voted yes to both.

Cumberland’s students also get to meet and hear from local MP Richard Cannings each year, and Senator Bev Busson paid them a visit earlier this month.

But it can be hard to feel hopeful about politics. There’s too much extremism, and also too much apathy – especially since the pandemic, Cumberland said, but that’s why it’s never been more important to get the youth involved in democracy.

“They need to know that as an active citizen, you can build your own future and have a voice.”

She also created democracy and citizenship lessons for students between Grades 3 and 8.

“The material gets more complex as their ability to comprehend increases.”

It was six years ago when Cumberland fell in love with civics and adopted the idea of Student Vote after attending an event by CIVIX. It is an international not-for-profit that promotes democracy through the classroom.

As one of their most outstanding members, Cumberland was among 20 ambassadors who were highlighted for the organization’s 20th anniversary.

“(Cumberland) is a driving force for citizenship and democracy education,” according to her highlight reel.

“She is a passionate advocate for increased day-to-day civics instruction, mentoring colleagues and providing them with accessible resources.”

— This story was originally published by the Penticton Herald.

News from © iNFOnews, 2023