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Health & Fitness

At the Library: Democracy in Storyland!

Albany High School created a clever way to teach young kids about elections. The Chaptocrats are running against the Illustricans. Who would you vote for?

AHS Librarian Sara Oremland and her inventive students brought a little bit of March Madness to Albany schools and the Albany Library.

To teach kids about political campaigns and voting, the high school students came up with a slate of 16 children's book characters to run for president. The two-party system is made up of Chaptocrats and Illustricans, so named by the witty students at Albany High.

Each week, kids across the city voted for the personable beast (Cat in the Hat,) or beastly person (Queen of Hearts) they liked best. 

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Polling Stations were set up at AHS, the schools and the library. Each week the ballot boxes have been stuffed full. Different voting sites have different winners. At the public library we have three final candidates: Baloo the Bear, Severus Snape, (both cheeky Chaptocrats) and one loopy Illustrican: The Lorax!

Marin School is down to Snape and the Lorax, while AHS is down to Snape and Tigger.

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As in the case of all elections, whoever wins has a lot of broken hearts to mend and fans to satisfy. (The Tinkerbell contingent is not happy!!)

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