Thursday, June 12th, 2008

By J.R. Claeys

I had the pleasure today of meeting with superintendents from across the state of Kansas at a meeting of the Kansas Association of School Administrators at the University of Kansas in Lawrence.

Superintendents were very receptive to my ideas for civics education and promoting Kids Voting Kansas in the classroom. Educators know that civic responsibility and engagement in the community foster a sense of belonging, community and shared responsibility that translate to positive behaviors in the classroom. Kids Voting Kansas goes a step further by bringing school-aged children into the voting booth with their parents to learn about, and participate in, the electoral process. The end result: An engaged electorate participating at record levels in Kansas.

I was happy to hear from administrators who have the program in place. Their view of its success and their support for the program proves it can be a model for other districts throughout the state.