Election fever pulls students to polls

By Rebecca Fraser
STUDENTS at Eumemmerring Secondary College embarked on a blazing campaign trail last week, in a bid to win their classmates’ votes.
Last Friday, students at the Fountain Gate campus took to the polls when they voted in their 2006 student leaders.
Eumemmerring Secondary College teacher and Casey councillor Wayne Smith said this was the second year the school had conducted elections.
He said students nominated a young leader for each of the school’s 34 home groups who would represent that class for the rest of the year.
Mr Smith said elected students would get to have a say on school policy, and last year’s students had helped form an anti-bullying policy.
“They meet twice a term and get to discuss issues around the school and help make decisions on the running of the school.
“Students can recommend things and get to see that what they are saying, and their opinions are being valued and acted upon,” he said.
All nominated students gave candidate speeches to their class on Friday morning before they went to the polls at 11am.
“Students went down to the library where the Victorian Electoral Commission was conducting the elections.
“Students had to have their names marked off and the VEC provided proper polling booths,” he said.
Mr Smith said following this, the VEC would declare the votes and the new student leaders would be officially announced.
Students in 13 classes were re-elected unopposed and Mr Smith was quick to say that the election was not a popularity contest.
“A lot of kids last year saw how much work was involved and this is definitely not a popularity contest.
“Once you get elected, it is hard work,” he said.
Mr Smith said the election process had been a real “eye-opener” for students.
“This is not just a token thing and the good thing about it is that the student leaders are from a mixture of all year levels.
“Students from years seven to 10 all have an equal say and make some good friendships.
“It provides really good training in leadership and gives students an idea of how democracy works,” he said.