Tuesday Oct. 26 is election day, at least for Tyrone Area school students.
Election day for actual voters will be next Tuesday Nov. 2, of course.
Ahead of both were three debates between the actual candidates, President George W. Bush and Senator John F. Kerry. On Friday, members of the Tyrone Area High School Mock Election Club held two debates of their own which featured lively responses from both sides.
There were two debate sessions, one attended by middle school students in the morning and the other by high school students in the afternoon. The afternoon session lasted about 45 minutes and including questions on the Iraq War, North Korea, terrorism/homeland security, education, environment, abortion, gay rights, the economy/jobs and gun rights.
Debate moderator and teacher Todd Cammarata offered his thoughts after the afternoon session.
“I thought the kids all did a very good job,” said Cammarata. “The audiences were pretty respectful for both (debates). It was interesting.
“Kids are more interested and involved than most adults give them credit for,” said Cammarata.
Cammarata was also asked about the differences in the morning and afternoon session.
“They were able to tighten up their answers,” said Cammarata of the afternoon debate.
“The first time around (in the morning), we did it for the middle school kids. I think they found what’s on a page is a small amount. When you speak it’s a lot longer. They tightened up their answers a little bit. I think that was the major difference. They were both successful.”
Cammarata said the Mock Election Club members had spent a great deal of time preparing for the debates.
“Hours and hours,” said Cammarata about the amount of time put into the effort. “We’ve been meeting several times a week, every week for the last couple of months.
“It hasn’t all been this (the debate),” said Cammarata. “The students have hung signs all over the school. They have created posters, they have created flyers, brochures, all student-created materials. That was all part of the mock election-all culminating on Tuesday when they vote.”
Cammarata was also asked what the basis was for the answers provided by the debaters.
“I did the Kerry campaign. Luke Rhoades did the Bush campaign,” said Cammarata. “We just told them to stick to the facts that the candidates used. Unfortunately, it’s election season and both sides are loose with their own facts and sometimes it’s hard for that not to filter down to the students. But, I think they did a pretty good job on sticking to the candidate’s statements whenever they were speaking on a candidate’s behalf.”
The students representing the Bush campaign were: Chris Chamberlain, Sarah Dane, Kairann Isenberg, Jean Keller, Eric Nulton, Cynda Ormsby and Sarah Peitz.
The students representing the Kerry campaign were: Sara Fink, Kristen Gurekovich, Francesca Lambert, Alexis Pazmino and Zachary Yeaton.
