CLEARFIELD – Tuesday was Election Day across the country, with citizens flocking to the polls to cast their votes.
At the Clearfield Area Junior-Senior High School, students were able to participate and develop good habits to ensure that they will continue to perform their civic duty once they turn 18 years old.
Students were taken to their polling place (the school library) and cast their votes for governor, lieutenant governor, senator, U.S. representative and state representatives.
This is the third consecutive year that the school has run a mock election. All students in grades 7-12 were included in the election.
Studies have shown that students who participate in mock elections are more likely to vote once they are eligible to do so.
The Social Studies Department in Clearfield has put an increased emphasis on civic engagement and education in recent years.
In addition to the mock election, the ninth-grade students recently took a field trip to downtown Clearfield where they toured the borough building, fire department, the Joseph & Elizabeth Shaw Public Library, Clearfield County Historical Society and the courthouse, where they viewed the justice system in action.
Other events planned for this year include mock trials, a voter registration drive and visits from local politicians to discuss how students can become more actively involved in their community.
