Fitchburg Elementary Students Cast Ballots In Mock Election
FITCHBURG (CBS) - As Crocker Elementary School goes, so goes the nation. Bet you haven't heard that one before.
Well, the kids at the Fitchburg elementary school have a proven track record for picking winners. Monday was Election Day for kindergarten through fourth grade. The polls have closed, and the results are in.
It's a voting tradition. This is the 29th year they've held a mock election at the Crocker.
"It's important to vote because we have to pick a new president," first grader Melanie says.
"I think everybody should vote," adds her classmate, Marvin.
Kids turn out by homeroom. They check in at their polling place just like their parents will do, and then made the presidential choice between Clinton and Trump, and even weighed in on their own ballot question: "Should daylight savings time be eliminated?"
"We are having the children experience firsthand the voting process," says teacher Debbie Jeffries who has organized the school election since the beginning.
She calls it P.E.A.C.E, Political Education At Crocker Elementary. "I hope the kids realize they have a say and they should be interested in letting their voice be heard, and every vote counts," she says.
"We're learning that if you vote, you get to make the world a better place," says first grader Skyler.
And after the polls closed, everyone holds their breath. "We have Hillary Clinton with 412 votes, and Donald Trump with 148 votes," Debbie Jeffries announces over the school loudspeaker. Crocker Elementary goes Democrat.
For the student's ballot question about eliminating daylight savings time, the no's won.