Schools

Campaigning Starts Young For Horizon Elementary Students

Students at Horizon Elementary in Johnston are vying for representation on the school's first student council.

There's a different kind of election going on in Johnston today.

These candidates aren't making promises or littering your yards with campaign propaganda.

In fact, these politicians can't even legally vote.

Find out what's happening in Johnstonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

That hasn't stopped the 93 third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students at Horizon Elementary from vying for a spot on student council.

While fifth-grade class representative candidate Jack Feller would like to create extra recess time, the student council will mostly work on community service projects and other school goals.

Find out what's happening in Johnstonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The council, the first in school history, will be comprised of five class representatives from the three grades, as well as five officers — a secretary and historian from fourth grade and treasurer, vice president and president from fifth grade, said Kristin Merkle, fifth-grade teacher and student council advisor.

"I wanted to do it, I thought it would be fun," said Logan Bridges, fifth-grade vice president candidate. "I've been here six full years, the longest you can be and I wanted to help."

During the election, students will only vote for their respective grade representative or officer.

"I think the school started talking about forming a student council last year, while I was at Summit Middle School," Merkle said. "They thought I might do a good job since I'm a very outside-the-box thinker and like doing a lot with the kids."

Once Merkle returned to Horizon, she was all for sponsoring student council.

"We were so successful in marketing that we have 93 candidates," she said. "The students had to fill out an application and get a teacher signature saying they have good character. They also filled a short essay on why they wanted to be in student council and to define what they think a leader is.

"A lot of kids wanted more recess and things, but we're not changing things, but working on goals like giving back to the community," Merkle said.

Once the candidate paperwork was filed, students made a poster and shot a 30-second commercial telling their classmates why they chose to run for student council. The video will play during class time at each teacher's discretion.

"It sounded fun, it was something different," said Jack, the fifth-grade representative candidate. "I would get to go to the kindergarten to talk to them about what's going on."

Each of the three represented grades would be a paired with a younger class to share what happens in meetings, Merkle said. Third grade will be paired with second grade, while fourth grade will talk to first grade and fifth grade with kindergarten.

Allea Hoogenakker chose to run for fifth-grade president.

"I thought it was a good opportunity and I wanted to help the school," she said. "I want to think of fun field trips and ways to help the community."

Logan also had ideas on how to help the school through student council.

"I think we need more trees where there aren't any," he said. "We can do stuff for students, too, not just for ourselves."

Merkle said the student council will work from November to October each year, with fourth-graders assuming more responsibility in August.

"We want to have an election every November," she said. "I think it makes the elections more relevant."

Results from today's election will be official Wednesday and students will be sworn in on Monday.

"We've invited the mayor to the swearing-in ceremony," she said. "Then we'll have meetings the first and third Wednesdays of the month."

One thing Merkle foresees on the agenda? A school store.

"They've talked about having a little store for students to buy pencils and things," she said. "Then we'll use the money raised to buy something for the school."


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