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Beyond the Ballot: Understanding the Power of civic engagement
Democracy is not something we simply observe—it is something we actively shape. The 2016 Election Project immersed students in the democratic process by exploring national issues, political campaigns, media literacy, and civic participation. Students organized and hosted a campus-wide election, designed their own voting system, educated K–12 voters on the 2016 propositions and presidential candidates' positions, managed campaign strategies for peers running for ASB office, and engineered playable mini-golf holes that creatively represented social and political issues they cared about.
The Election Project❋ Essential Questions
What does it mean to be an informed and engaged citizen? How do elections shape the future of our communities and country? How can we critically evaluate information, media, and political claims? What issues matter most to us, and why? How can young people influence democracy before they are old enough to vote?
❋ What Students Learned
Students examined the electoral process, analyzed political issues through multiple perspectives, and investigated the role of media, data, and public discourse in shaping public opinion. Through interdisciplinary inquiry, they developed critical media literacy skills, strengthened their ability to evaluate evidence, and explored the responsibilities of democratic participation.
❋ Why It's Liberatory
This project positioned students as active participants in democracy rather than passive observers of politics. By encouraging students to interrogate information, examine competing viewpoints, and develop their own informed positions, the project cultivated critical consciousness, civic agency, and the belief that their voices matter in shaping society.
❋ TLC Values in Action
Liberation emerged as students learned to question dominant narratives and engage thoughtfully with complex social and political issues. Wild Potential was reflected in students' growing confidence as civic thinkers and future voters, while Community came alive through dialogue, debate, and collective inquiry. Through the transformation of information into informed action and civic engagement, the project embodied Alchemy, and through respectful discourse and empathy across differences, it reflected Love in practice.
The 8th grade class organized and hosted a campus-wide voting event. They engineered they're own voting system and were responsible for educating voters (fellow K-12 students) on the 2016 propositions and where each candidate stood on the issues.
Rock The Vote
Putt-ing through the Election
In collaboration their math/science teacher and engineering teacher, students constructed miniature golf holes based on their chosen "ballot worthy" issue. Several miniature golf exhibitions were set up (including one at a neighborhood community college) where our students encouraged players to get more involved in current social issues.
STUDENT INFOGRAPHICS
After weeks of research, students created infographics on current issues they felt were "ballot worthy".
