CHS Seniors Attend Voting Field Trip

“I feel that it's important to help students realize that they can make a difference. I think one of the things that I want to do as a teacher is help students realize their agency in the world–their ability to affect change,” said Mr. Murchison on his decision to organize the trip. “I think that civic engagement is a huge piece of [affecting change], and I wanted to help students to exercise that. I think that it's important for young people to understand how to find valid and reliable sources of information and then use those to make decisions,” he added.

When asked about students’ knowledge of the voting process and their thoughts on voting, Murchison stated, “There are a lot of people who don't understand the process. I think that there are a lot of people who don't understand that their votes matter–[who] don't understand the importance of voting. I think a lot of people, their first time, are surprised to realize how much is actually on their ballot… I think a lot of people aren't necessarily aware of [the process] until they're exposed to it.” And according to Tufts’ CIRCLE (Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement), only 55% of young people (those aged 18-29) voted in North Carolina in the last presidential election, and only 53% of people aged 18-19 voted.

Both Mr. Murchison and Mask agreed that it’d be good to have another voting field trip in the future.

“Every year is potentially an election year, just depending on what may or may not be on ballots… it depends. I think that there was–necessarily–a lot more interest this year. But if there was interest in doing something, I think in two years' time, I would [organize another field trip],” said Murchison.