Week 6 Reading

Our Vote Our future


"When students compose, they create messages, when they interpret messages, they construct meaning." pg 58

I chose this quote because it fit perfect with this interviews the students at Grafton High School had with our local Legislator on Monday. Students spoke out about voting in this coming election and how they felt about each political party (Messages and Meanings). They asked questions about the minimum wage, students loans and funding for community programs (Author and Audience).

WBOY.com: Clarksburg, Morgantown: News, Sports, Weather

http://www.wdtv.com/wdtv.cfm?func=view&section=Fox-10&item=Grafton-High-School-Students-Talk-Politics-18345







This event was set up to give the junior and senior class AP Government class from Grafton High School several opportunities, the first one was a chance to speak to several different political parties about what they represent and what their platforms are for the coming election. Second to give each student who was not registered to vote an opportunity to do so. Third and explanation of the process of voting and how to vote and why they must vote (Representation and Reality).

The AP Government teacher had the students set up the Library in the form of a Town Hall, he asked his students to prepared note cards with questions. Each student was given two minutes to state their question. The class also recorded the class for further discussion in class. I was very impressed by the communication and context of questions the student asked when talking to each legislator. Some walked away with t-shirts while others walked away with valuable information that was going to effect their future.

This was an amazing opportunity for me collaborate with the AP Government Class and engage them in a panel discussion that provided them a different learning style. After the interviews with our local media we got together and discussed ideas about how to get the rest of our Junior and Senior class involved and registered to vote.

One group decided that during AA they would set up a table by the cafeteria with registration cards and explain what they had learned. Another group wants to create a digital story with the peaces I included above from Channel 5 and 12 and include pictures taken by the school newspaper.
They plan on running the digital story during the last week of October and first week of November.

I am very proud of all of them and grateful to do something different and out of the box for AP Government.