Media Glare Doesn't Wither Valley Students at Rock the Caucus

It’s probably a good thing that Valley High School senior Maddy Baker didn’t realize that her Rock the Caucus campaign speech last week on healthier cafeteria food, changing P.E. class requirements and restructuring the district calendar would be beamed around the world.

Just the knowledge that she would share the stage with someone who could be the next president of the United States – arguably the most powerful person in the world – had already given her butterflies butterflies.

“In my time at Valley, I’ve never had an experience where students were encouraged to voice their opinions this way. It definitely shows our voices matters, to ask students to get up and talk about things we care about.”

“The whole morning, from the minute I woke up, I was nervous and shaking,” said Baker, who along with classmates Laney Abrahamson, Jasmine Au and Ben Weinberg, was selected as student candidates in the Jan. 3 event to increase students’ understanding of elections and the importance of voting.

“I was so nervous I thought, ‘I can’t do this,’ but I think I finally shook all of my nerves out,” she said. “By that time I decided, ‘I’m just going to have fun with this. I have already seen my peers go up. I can do this'.”

Baker’s jitters were understandable. Rock the Caucus was supposed to be a low-key event – and with 1,500 media in town for the Iowa caucuses, low-key is a relative term – rather than a full-fledged media free for all.

When the student candidates left for winter break, they thought a few media might follow Rock the Vote founder Heather Smith and Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz, who had teamed to bring the Rock the Caucus event to Valley. A stray reporter or two might find the story a nice diversion from chasing presidential candidates.

But the students certainly didn’t expect to face as many reporters and video cameras – the cache of frontrunner presidential candidates Ron Paul (the students' favorite), Rick Santorum (the spoiler whose come-from-behind surge stunned reporters) and Mitt Romney (who didn’t attend, but sent his sons), as well as Michele Bachmann – along with high school peers.

Baker is used to the stage, and to performing. But ”I’m not used to paparazzi and video cameras,” she said.

Valley Assistant Principal David Maxwell said the students handled the pressure like professionals.

“As we got wind that the event was growing, our main fear is it was going to diminish the students’ role,” he said. “Those four student speakers were supposed to be the ones who were going to be the focus, but all of a sudden the candidates were showing up. We didn’t want them to steal the thunder.”

Organizers improvised, deciding to have the students make their campaign speeches “when the audience was most respectful,” and then introduce the GOP candidates.

Students Saw Opportunity to Voice Concerns to Administration
Abrahamson, Au, Baker and Weinberg expected to have two minutes to give their campaign speech. With a compressed schedule, they had less than a minute.

During that time, Baker made a pitch for healthier cafeteria food, changes in the school calendar that would allow students to take semester tests before winter break, and relaxation of the physical education requirement for student athletes, a change she said would make for meaningful experiences for non-athletes.

Baker’s was the platform students most agreed with, so she technically won the mock caucus.

“People ask me if I won anything,” Baker said, laughing. “it was just a little mock caucus. Now that we’re done with it, life goes on.”

Other students campaigned on returning vending machines to the school cafeteria; intervening when necessary to stop inappropriate behavior at dances, but stopping short of putting a ban on grinding at school dances; reinstating the winter arts program; and making sure that students know about scholarships and other financial resources that make college an option for all.

Maxwell said the students took the opportunity seriously.

“I never expected they would look at that as an opportunity to communicate and express concerns to the administration,” he said. “It was nice to hear they appreciated that opportunity.”

He said the Valley administration may not be able to respond exactly as the students want. For example, “we don’t have much influence to change lunches, because that’s a district nutrition policy, but it does give them some lobbying power,” Maxwell said.

“In my time at Valley, I’ve never had an experience where students were encouraged to voice their opinions this way,” Baker said. “It definitely shows our voices matters, to ask students to get up and talk about things we care about.”

Paul Asked for Baker’s Vote, But She Thinks Romney is More Presidential
Baker said the experience will stick with her.

“This is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before,” said the 17-year-old, who plans to study graphic design at a college to be determined. “It was a ton of fun, but really scary at times.”

She introduced Ron Paul, the Valley High School students’ pick to win the caucuses. In the end, he placed third.

She spent some personal time with the candidate and his family before introducing him to her peers.

“He was very nice, very calm and composed,” Baker said.

And he also asked for her vote.

He didn’t get it. Baker missed the Iowa Caucuses because she had mime practice that evening,

“I was undecided, leaning more toward Mitt Romney,” Baker said. “I picture him more as the president. His views are more realistic.”