2016 was a year where Kids Voting Durham reached a record number of students, educators, and schools with hands-on experiences of positive civic engagement. It is impossible to cover all Kids Voting accomplished in 2016 here, but some highlights from the elections include:
♦ Over 15,000 Durham students cast a vote in the November Election as well as nearly 7000 in the March Primary and School Board Election, making 2016 Kids Voting Durham’s largest election ever.
♦ 75% of Kids Voting precincts were run by youth volunteers — from Brownie Troops to the City Youth Commission, students wanted to be part of making Kids Voting happen for other young people. Youth volunteers also developed theKVD Youth Candidate Guide, led Youth Candidate Forum, and worked at events and for special projects. Durham students logged over 1000 service hours with Kids Voting Durham in 2016.
♦ More than 40 K-12 Durham schools participated in Kids Voting with classroom teachers receiving current election lessons and supports including the student-written Kids Voting Durham Candidate Guide as well as curriculum and other resources throughout the year.
Behind each of these numbers is a story: students who learned about candidates and issues in real, in-depth ways by preparing the Kids Voting Youth Candidate Guide or using it in their classrooms; a first grader who was so excited to be asked to voice their own vote like adults; a young person who expressed their views to an elected official for the first time.
Many thanks to the many volunteers, sponsors, and partners who made 2016 such a successful year for Kids Voting Durham.
Kids Voting Durham 