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Show High School Students Participate in Political Process by Danica Baird During October 25 through November 2, Pleasant Grove High School students gathered in the Student Center for a week full of political activity. Under the supervision of Mr. John Deans, students assembled to hear classmates give speeches on politically heated topics and rally for their favorite political candidates. Each day opposing viewpoints were presented on various topics in front of hundreds of students. While giving their speeches, students had to speak passionately and animatedly to capture the attention of the audience. Students often had to speak in favor of political issues and candidates which they actually opposed. Deans believes that this enables students to strengthen their individual beliefs and become more politically informed. Senior Lucy Daynes said, , "The coolest part about Grove Elections is that you might end up speaking about something you don't agree with. I spoke on Mike Lee this year and I affiliate myself with the Democratic Party. It was interesting to learn more about him and the opposite point of view." Mr. Deans believes that students should be an informed audience and not an audience that is easily persuaded. He hopes to foster a greater concern over political issues in the community. Society is slowly becoming more and more apathetic when it comes to voting. In this last election, one out of three registered voters in Utah County even bothered to vote. Deans hopes that Grove Central Election week will help reverse this trend and inspire students at Pleasant Grove High to become involved in politics. This week of political excitement concluded with a Mock Election. Students were able to cast their votes in an election hosted by Student Council. Hundreds of students and faculty voted for governor, senator, and the House of Representatives. In Utah County, the majority of voters voted straight Republican as did most Pleasant Grove High School students. This week of political frenzy helped engage students in politics preparing them for future elections. Senior Maddie Hall said, "I thought that giving a speech was kind of scary at first, but it was cool because it was a new experience. It makes you feel accomplished to know you have written a speech. I really enjoyed this experience." |
