The Dr. Seuss Foundation held a nationwide online election on Tuesday, November 8th. Daniella Ventrice, the media specialist, and Susan Delmonico, the computer specialist, worked together with school administrators and a PTO parent to put the election event together at Mount Prospect Elementary School in Basking Ridge. 541 elementary students at Mount Prospect cast their vote and chose from the five following causes: The Environment, Ocean Conservation, Kindness, Hunger, and Literacy. The Dr. Seuss Foundation pledged to donate $10,000 to the winning cause, which was Ocean Conservation with 33.5% of the vote. The winning causes for each grade level were as follows: Kindergarten - Oceans, 1st grade - Environment, 2nd grade - Ocean Conservation, 3rd grade - Environment, 4th grade -Ocean Conservation and 5th grade - Ocean Conservation.
Students across the nation were able to vote so the school decided to adopt the online election to allow children to have their voice heard. Not only were they able to vote, but they learned about the election process from start to finish in the library as well as the computer lab. They created computer voter registration cards and campaigned with their buddy classes. Each class came with their buddy class to cast their vote electronically. Even some absentee ballots were cast. Jenn Bell, a PTO parent, helped to design the voting booths and facilitate the voting on Election Day.
