Students at Adams Elementary School were participants in a unique learning experience relating to the democratic process with their election of an independent candidate to the office of president — of the student council.
Fifth-grader Justin Light received permission from Principal Richard Mitchell to run as an independent candidate for leader of the student council after presenting a petition signed by 70 family members and friends asking for his inclusion on the ballot.
“Justin came to me with an interest in running for student council as an independent candidate,” said Adams Principal Richard Mitchell. “He came in with campaign posters. He was very prepared.
“Traditionally, the kids who run for office are student council classroom representatives. But there’s a first time for everything. I thought that with this being an election year, this would be a great way to make the electoral process come to life for our students. I felt they would be able to make connection to what was taking place in the presidential election with the election taking place on their campus.”
Running for student council president has been a goal for Light since the “second or third grade.”
“I’ve always wanted to run for president,” he said. “When I didn’t get nominated for student council representative, I was very disappointed. But my mother and grandmother encouraged me to go ahead and run for president as an independent.”
With only two days to go before the election, the fifth-grader hit the campaign trail. Posters featuring a light bulb with the slogan, “Think Bright, Vote Light,” went up alongside those of fellow candidates.
“I made my posters and wrote my speech all in one night,’ he said. “Let me tell you, I was tired the next morning.”
Many credit Light’s campaign speech as a major factor in his successful bid for president.
“He brought down the house with his speech,” Mitchell said. “Everyone was talking about it. He presented some campaign promises that the students loved. And that was reflected in their votes.”
Light’s four-point message addressed several issues, from fitness to discipline, offering alternatives or proposals to each concern he raised.
“I thought I’d run on an idea of having an alternative form of discipline rather than having a student sit out at recess when they have done something wrong,” Light said. “Recess is such an important part of our day. We get to talk; we get to have fun; school fades away for a few minutes. When you sit out, you get sad and depressed.”
The independent proposed that if elected, he would try to bring back after-school detention. He also suggested another discipline method used in school days gone by — repetitive sentence writing.
“We could also have kids write sentences promising ‘I will not deliberately do’ whatever it is they did,” Light said. “Part of my proposal is they could have the choice to either stay after school or write sentences.”
Adams student council Vice President Rachel Parker said she thought Light’s discipline reform package garnered him quite a few votes from the school’s first- and second-graders.
“Most of the younger kids thought they’d still get to have recess if they ever got in trouble if they voted for him,” Parker said. “They liked his speech. And Justin knows a lot of people, too.”
Adams’ new student council president also pledged to unite the student body in a stand against bullying.
“I’m concerned about kids everywhere who are bullied because of their weight, their race, or how they talk,” Light said. “I do not like that. I said in my speech that ‘even though our teachers are doing a pretty darn good job of eliminating bullying, we as Gators should stand up to bullies and not allow it.’
“I don’t want any of our kids here to have to go through the trouble that is caused by bullying.”
Light is interested in enhancing student fitness at Adams by bringing in a weight-lifting program for boys and a dance program for girls.
“The weight program would help the boys build muscles,” he said. “I think the girls would like to learn dance routines. I know girls like to dance — ballerina stuff or whatever.”
Light believes his fourth campaign pledge to organize a reading-tutoring program to partner older students with younger won him the election.
“I think that’s what got me my vote,” he said. “I want to have a Big Brother-Big Sister tutor and reading program. I used to hate reading until I got introduced to ‘Are You My Mother?’ by Dr. Suess. That put me on the reading track.
“I want to get the kids who are like I used to be, to love reading. The third-, fourth- and fifth-graders can help with this.”
Fifth-grade reading teacher Melodye Martin has been impressed with her student’s enthusiasm in running as an independent candidate.
“Justin is an exceptional student, and I appreciate the lesson he taught our students regarding elections, especially this close to our presidential election,” Martin said. “It was quite a sight to see how the students related to him as he gave his speech. The best part was when he actually won. It was priceless!”
He describes that moment as one of happiness and gratitude.
“When I was trying to get signatures for my petition to run, one of my fellow candidates signed it,” Light said. “I thought that was really cool. I really appreciated it.”
And even though it’s still early in his presidency, the “almost 11-year-old” says he’s not through when it comes to politics.
“I plan on getting involved in many student organizations and to run for office as much as I can to get experience,” he said. “Most kids don’t know what hit them when they get into the real world. I want to get that experience, so I will know when it hits me.”
Education
Related Photos
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Justin Light, left, Adams Elementary student council president, discusses upcoming Red Ribbon Week activities with fellow officers Rachel Parker, Allie Kirkpatrick and Regan Crooks. Light ran as an independent candidate in the election for president of the student body organization. Lisa Magers/CISD
Discussion
Independent wins election at Adams Elementary
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