The Northwest Yeshiva High School student council organized an Election Day program on November 5 to raise political awareness and practice civic participation. For many students at NYHS, it was their first opportunity to engage with voting and the electoral process. The election programs included U.S. history and government trivia and a mock election.
Students dressed in red, white, and blue to emphasize the spirit of the day. However, students were instructed not to wear any attire with specific political affiliations, ensuring the event remained focused on civic pride and inclusivity.
Senior and secretary of the student council Elianna Rothstein explained that the goal of this program was to celebrate Election Day by learning about government and politics in a fun and engaging way. “I’m proud of what we accomplished and that we got to make Election Day meaningful and memorable for the school.”
Students and teachers got to cast their votes in the mock 2024 presidential election during lunch. For a more realistic experience, the Student Council provided photocopies of real ballots from this year’s election. “Even though it’s just a simulation, I think it’s important because students don’t know what voting looks like,” said senior and student activities chair Paulina Gamel. “It’s something to remember for the next election since we’ll all be voting.” The final count showed Donald Trump securing the majority at 41 votes compared to Kamala Harris’s 8 votes. For students like senior Izzy Hoffman, this was not surprising, and he felt that the results were an accurate representation of the NYHS students’ views. “I think because the Democratic Party has been somewhat iffy about Israel right now, it caused such a big gap in the mock election,” he said. “At our school we prioritize Israel, and Trump and the Republicans have been very vocal with their support.”
The NYHS election provided an opportunity for those passionate about politics to express views in a respectful and community environment. “I enjoyed the election because I was curious about the results and what the students’ opinions were,” said Hoffman.
