Jason Kreutner, founder and Head of School at University School of the Lowcountry, shared these insights with the USL community via email on October 7, 2018:
In order to prepare to be better-informed citizens of the community and the world, University School students annually conduct Election Day exit polls across the Lowcountry and then make informed predictions based on their results. Students watch the news every day and stay apprised of developments in the world. They explore elections and the democratic process, and this means hearing from different candidates, learning about different parties, and exploring issues of governance and civics.
Exit polling each year enables students to talk with different voters in different precincts across the Lowcountry and see firsthand the ebb and flow of turnout rates for the different types of elections because of the pattern of Congressional (and occasionally statewide and more) races in even-numbered years and municipal elections in odd-numbered years.
I read this article, “Civics Education Helps Create Young Voters and Activists,” in The Atlantic a few days ago, and it is a reminder as to how valuable this educational component is and how it is preparing our students to be active and informed citizens. It is also a sad reflection on the current state of civics education in America and how Americans must seek improvement for our young people and future voters.
