Members of the North Tama High School Class of 2024 pictured in the gym commons on Nov. 9 alongside Iowa Sec. of State Paul Pate (front row, far right) and their social studies teacher Matt Walston (front row, far left) after accepting the Carrie Chapman Catt Award trophy for registering at least 90% of eligible students to vote. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

TRAER – Iowa Sec. of State Paul Pate stopped by North Tama High School last week Thursday to present members of the senior class with the 2023-24 Carrie Chapman Catt Award for registering at least 90% of eligible students to vote.

This is the first time North Tama has received the annual award.

The effort to register North Tama’s eligible electors was spearheaded by high school social studies teacher Matt Walston who said 26 of his 28 seniors – nearly 93% – are now registered voters.

Two of those voters turned 18 years old prior to the Tuesday, Nov. 7 city/school election and were thus able to vote for the first time last week including senior Emily Hulme who said voting made her feel “very powerful.”

According to Pate’s office, North Tama is one of 111 high schools participating in the program this year, and one of just eight high schools currently that has met the requirements to be awarded the Carrie Chapman Catt Award.

Iowa Sec. of State Paul Pate, left, pictured alongside North Tama social studies teacher Matt Walston in the high school gym commons last Thursday during Pate’s presentation of the 2023-24 Carrie Chapman Catt Award to the North Tama senior class. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

The award is named after the famous Iowan who was instrumental in securing passage of the 19th Amendment which granted women access to the ballot box 100 years ago.

While presenting the award’s trophy to the student body on Thursday in the gym commons, Pate discussed the importance of registering Iowans to vote, while also briefly mentioning the city/school election that was held across Iowa two days prior.

“We saw a lot of people come out across the state to vote for local people,” Pate said before later adding the success of America’s elections “speaks volumes that we don’t have to have a military out in the street during voting.”

For more information on the Carrie Chapman Catt Award, visit https://sos.iowa.gov/youth/carriechapmancattaward.html

Another trophy for the North Tama trophy case! PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER