Voting Day 2024 offered the Grade 1 students at UCA an invaluable learning experience, immersing them in essential concepts such as free and fair elections, democracy, responsibility, choice, and their rights as citizens. The atmosphere was charged with the excitement of making a difference, and the notion that their voices could truly matter resonated deeply throughout the UCA community.
In preparation for this significant event, our Grade 1 students were given the unique opportunity to vote for their class president. The process began with the students registering to vote using their smart ID cards, a procedure overseen by our dedicated ABC Electoral Committee (ABCec). The students were then organized into four distinct teams, each tasked with selecting a candidate from their ranks to stand for election. This collaborative effort required each team to brainstorm and come up with a creative team name and design an original poster symbol that would represent their campaign.
The candidates, eager to win the support of their peers, prepared motivational speeches. These speeches outlined their plans to ensure the classroom remained safe and tidy, to make learning an enjoyable experience, and to promote good manners among their classmates. To reach a wider audience, the speeches were recorded and posted on our school groups, allowing all students to engage with the candidates’ visions for their class.
As Voting Day arrived, the anticipation was visible. The excitement was indescribable as the young students, brimming with enthusiasm, lined up to cast their votes. Each student experienced the thrill of participating in a democratic process, marking their ballots with care and pride. After receiving their ballot papers, their thumbs were marked, a symbolic gesture to ensure the integrity of the election by confirming that each student voted only once.
The event was more than just a mock election; it was a powerful demonstration of the principles of democracy in action, leaving a lasting impression on the students and reinforcing the importance of civic engagement from a young age.
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