Nov 4, 2002 By Kris Schiffbauer 4 min read

A few more people may take to the polls Tuesday because Wayne Bowers’ students asked them to exercise their freedom to vote. With the general election fast approaching, Albert Gallatin Senior High School students are taking what little time they have left to encourage friends, relatives and neighbors to defy the tradition of disinterest that a non-presidential election usually garners.

Bowers, chairman of the high school social studies department and a problems of democracy (POD)/economics teacher, has registered his students for the Youth Voter Corps of the Freedom’s Answer program. He said he has been encouraging students to vote for years.

“This is a follow-up for me. We used the adopt-a-block approach, passing out Youth Voter Corps forms and asking each senior to get 10 voters to sign up,” he said.

For his students’ efforts, Bowers was willing to give a bonus grade point to each student that got 10 voters to pledge to go to the polls Tuesday, and they took up the challenge. He said response was good, with most getting pledges to vote from more than 10 people.

Locally, Albert Gallatin and Carmichaels Area schools registered for Freedom’s Answer.

Freedom’s Answer is a non-partisan, non-profit national campaign meant to achieve the largest voter turnout ever in a non-presidential election year, in an effort to show the world that the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States “only strengthened our nation’s commitment to stand together for freedom.”

The Herald-Standard and its Newspaper in Education (NIE) department are a local sponsor of the program.

“Freedom’s Answer is a unique forum that allows our youth the opportunity to get involved in the aftermath of the 9/11 events while sending a strong message to our enemies that the American spirit is stronger than ever,” said Bill Dreucci, NIE educational services coordinator and Freedom’s Answer coordinator for the Herald-Standard.

“The Herald-Standard and NIE are proud of the Albert Gallatin and Carmichaels Area high schools, their faculty sponsors and the voter youth corps participants.”

Carmichaels Junior-Senior High School teacher Jim Lane recently registered for Freedom’s Answer and has used the Internet resources to supplement his regular curriculum.

Lane is a social studies teacher who primarily teaches seniors, some of whom are old enough to vote on Tuesday.

“I have a lot of seniors in class, and this is definitely something of interest,” he said.

The importance of voting is a topic Lane addresses with his students.

“We talk about it and I make sure our students are aware of the candidates and issues,” he said.

Combining discussion with research and technology skills, Lane’s students get some campaign information on the Internet and television and understand their role as potential voters. He said they also watch videotaped debates among candidates.

“It’s extremely important, They are choosing the future,” he said. “They seem interested in how it’s going to involve them, the community and their future.”

Lane said his students do a mock election more than once, tracking whether they change their votes as they get more information on candidates. He said a mock election is a good classroom tool.

“Even though they are voting in the classroom, they know they will be doing it for real someday,” he said.

Bowers said the A.G. High School social studies classes participated Thursday in a mock election for governor and lieutenant governor through an effort sponsored by the state Department of Education. He noted that his student teacher, Carl Shusko, recorded a debate of the gubernatorial candidates to help the students with their decision. The mock election included referendum questions about extending the school year, using seat belts on buses and wearing uniforms in public school.

Bowers said teaching the process of elections shows young people more than how to cast a vote.

“It teaches them to make wise choices and decisions,” he said. “I spend a lot of time going over where students live and who their representatives are and what they control and influence.”

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For more information on Freedom’s Answer, visit www.freedomsanswer.net.