Exploring the Election Process

Last week in Library class, students participated in two Florida state reading programs: the Florida Reading Association (FRA) and Sunshine State Young Reader Award (SSYRA) programs. Grades K-2 listened to eight specific picture books throughout the year, and voted on their favorite picture book using a picture ballot.  Students in grades 3 – 8 who read at least three of the fifteen selected books in their grade levels and passed the AR test on each were awarded the opportunity to participate in the SSYRA vote for the Best Fiction Book of the year. Election officials from the Orange County Supervisor of Elections office came to the TCS campus, presented official voting ballots to the students and explained how to vote. They also brought in a real ballot machine to collect the students’ votes. The votes cast by our students were forwarded to Tallahassee, where they will be counted in the state election in which the favorite fiction books for grades 3-5 and 6-8 will be chosen. Students are anxiously awaiting to election results in mid-April!

This was a wonderful hands-on experience that encouraged our young readers and allowed them to explore the election process.