VANCEBORO, N.C. — Voting for the first time can be an exciting but daunting task.
In Craven County, Tiffany Parks, a district learning coach for Craven County Schools, decided to open practice polls. Her goal was to teach kids how to vote even before they reach voting age.
“So that way when they do turn 18, they're like, 'OK, I'm not so nervous,'” Parks said. “I kind of got an idea what to do.”
Parks remembers how intimidated she was when she turned 18 and headed to the polls alone.
“I remember standing in the gym, and no one talked to me. ... No one told me where to go. No one told me what to do,” Parks said. “I was so lost. I just turned around and walked back out. And I went and got my friend. She had already voted, and I made her go with me.”
She wants to get rid of that nervousness and show kids what to expect.
Parks has been working in education for the past 13 years. Recently, she has observed social studies teachers teaching about the election process, but she realized something was missing.
What happens when you go to the polls?
The high school students needed some hands-on learning, she says. By getting them excited about the process now, Parks is encouraging them to vote in future elections when they turn 18.
“If you can make everything in your classroom apply to things kids want to know or need to know in the future,” Parks said. “They buy it. They love it because it makes sense for them, is relevant.”
The kids say these practice ballots have helped them learn what to do when it comes to voting in reality. This is a new program for Craven County, but Parks says she wants to continue it in the future.
