North Tama seniors Symphony McDowell (left) and Katie Steven (right) answer questions from Telegraph reporter Ruby Bodeker (left) as part of their Government teacher Matt Walston’s mock election project on Friday, Dec. 3. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

It’s a rule of thumb for journalists to report the story, never become part of it.

But when asked recently by North Tama High School’s 12th grade Government teacher Matt Walston to participate in his mock election project, the Telegraph jumped at the chance to place a real reporter in the classroom – further instilling in students the importance of freedom of the press to democracy.

The annual project, Mr. Walston said, seeks to mirror an authentic run for public office in the form of the completely made-up President/Vice President of the North Tama County Community School District.

As part of the project, students are asked to form campaign committees of two to four which must at minimum include both a presidential and vice presidential candidate. Committees with more than two are also able to add a campaign treasurer and/or secretary to the team.

Each committee then sets out to formulate a platform to run on and visit various teachers/staff throughout the building to solicit campaign contributions in the form of Monopoly money. Such funds can then be used for printing posters to hang in the school hallways, to place an ‘ad’ on the school channel, to create buttons, or even to film a campaign ad.

North Tama high school teacher Matt Walston smiles while standing in his classroom during one of two sections of 12th grade Government. Walston is the impetus behind the school wide mock election project North Tama seniors participate in every year. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

The similarity to a real run for public office is striking and done completely by design, Mr. Walston said.

The Telegraph interviewed each campaign committee on Friday, Dec. 3 – a full week ahead of the school wide mock election.

During their five minute ‘Interview with a Reporter,’ the various committees thoroughly impressed the Telegraph with their ability to communicate their platforms succinctly and their creativity in coming up with platform solutions, but also with their desire to advocate for such solutions and not just to gain power for power’s sake.

The majority of the campaign committees included a string of similar issues as part of their platforms.

A better student parking lot that addresses current safety issues was repeated again and again by the candidates.

From l-r, North Tama seniors Ashton Mauderer, Lillian O’Clair, and Mekhi Smith answer questions from Telegraph reporter Ruby Bodeker (far right) as part of their Government teacher Matt Walston’s mock election project on Friday, Dec. 3. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

A return to open campus lunch with modifications, a change in WIN (What I Need) time at the end of the day that would allow students to leave school early as a privilege/reward, allowing students to carry backpacks between classes – and not just clear backpacks, an increase in passing time between classes, migrating from iPads to laptops for secondary students, and school lunch improvements in terms of both choice and quantity were included to some extent by most campaigns in their platforms.

The campaign committee consisting of Gabe Kopriva/Devin McKinley as president/vice president and Adam Greiner as treasurer, chose to center their platform on the district staff by promoting the idea of raising community funds for an annual holiday party/bonus to remind teachers how much they are valued.

Kopriva also mentioned the idea of installing vending machines in the school featuring healthy and zero sugar options.

The campaign of Clay Hershberger/Aiden Zook discussed ways in which open campus lunch benefits students by teaching them the importance of managing time – a skill, Hershberger said, that will be necessary once students graduate and head off to college or full time work.

The ‘Vote Women for Change’ committee consisting of Trista Zimple/Shanin Sebetka, treasurer Kierra Dronebarger, and secretary Silva Vardanian believe their all-female ticket not only highlights the need for more women in government, but also would translate into better governing in general.

North Tama senior Aaron Waller answers questions from Telegraph reporter Ruby Bodeker (left) as part of his Government teacher Matt Walston’s mock election project on Friday, Dec. 3. Waller’s running mate Randy Reese was absent. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

“I want to add something about our candidates – why they are special,” Vardanian said during the interview. “They are the only pair that are girls [in our class period]. The leaders of countries that have girl leaders … they do their jobs better.”

The campaign for Cael Stoneking/Daniela Moraru had a plethora of unique ideas including creating an international cafe on campus, making Fridays ‘fun days’ with games between classes, and adding a creative hub space for students that’s both “cozy and friendly.”

“With other [campaigns] they want parking changes, etc, but we’re doing more for student activities,” Moraru said.

The Evan Waller/Thomas Hulme campaign, which also includes Austin Unker as campaign staff, cited their desire to improve the entire school community as a reason to vote for the ‘Two Men for Change’ ticket.

“A lot of [campaigns] have great ideas,” Unker said, “but how we think and how much change we want to put into the school for both [students] and [staff] makes us different. … We want to improve the whole school community, not just for individual students.”

Campaign posters for the fictional President and Vice President of the North Tama County Community School District hang inside the high school last Friday, Dec. 3 ahead of this week’s election, part of 12th grade Government teacher Matt Walston’s annual mock election class project. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

Ten campaign committees were interviewed as part of the project. The campaign ticket featuring Symphony McDowell/Katie Steven was the final committee interviewed and they, too, did not disappoint in their ideas and eloquence.

Besides adding a parking lot monitor, marking out/assigning parking spaces, moving the bus barn to the athletic complex on the edge of town, and adding more real-world electives like financial literacy – the committee also mentioned improving something every student needs at some point during their time at school, toilet paper.

“We feel like our toilet paper does not do justice,” McDowell said with both seriousness and slight humor in her voice. “It’s just, like, paper, you have to use half of a roll. We don’t need something advanced. Just something up a notch.”

But perhaps the most striking aspect of the conversation with McDowell and Steven was their response when asked how they would stay connected to the people if elected.

“We would obviously first adjust our issues,” McDowell said before explaining they would then keep their campaign promise to change the toilet paper as that would be a “quick fix” that’s both easy and gives the people an early win.

Seniors Nathan Kucera (center) and Michael Bell (right), candidates for the mock election of North Tama Schools Vice President and President, respectively, look to their campaign treasurer Adam Greiner (left) for guidance as they answer questions from Telegraph reporter Ruby Bodeker (far left) in a North Tama High School classroom on Friday, Dec. 3. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

North Tama seniors Cael Stoneking (left) and Daniela Moraru (right) answer questions from Telegraph reporter Ruby Bodeker as part of their Government teacher Matt Walston’s mock election project on Friday, Dec. 3. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

North Tama senior Clay Hershberger answers questions from Telegraph reporter Ruby Bodeker (left) as part of his Government teacher Matt Walston’s mock election project on Friday, Dec. 3. Hershberger’s running mate Aiden Zook was absent. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

North Tama senior Devin McKinley (left) and Logan Rausch (right) answer questions from Telegraph reporter Ruby Bodeker (not pictured) as part of their Government teacher Matt Walston’s mock election project on Friday, Dec. 3. McKinley’s running mate Gabe Kopriva is present just off frame of the photograph. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

Gabe Kopriva, candidate for president, answers questions as part of his campaign committee's interview with the Telegraph last Friday, Dec. 3 during North Tama Government teacher Matt Walston’s mock election project. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

Trista Zimple, candidate for president, answers questions as part of her campaign committee's interview with the Telegraph last Friday, Dec. 3 during North Tama Government teacher Matt Walston’s mock election project. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

From l-r, Kierra Dronebarger, Silva Vardanian, and Shanin Sebteka answer questions as part of their campaign committee's interview with the Telegraph last Friday, Dec. 3 during North Tama Government teacher Matt Walston’s mock election project. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

From l-r, Austin Unker, Evan Waller, and Thomas Hulme answer questions as part of their campaign committee's interview with the Telegraph last Friday, Dec. 3 during North Tama Government teacher Matt Walston’s mock election project. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

From l-r, Addy Bradley, Izzy Urban, and Hannah Borah answer questions as part of their campaign committee's interview with the Telegraph last Friday, Dec. 3 during North Tama Government teacher Matt Walston’s mock election project. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

Photo by Soren M. Peterson