By ERIN MATHEWS

Salina Journal

There is much to be learned from an election -- and not just for the losing candidate's campaign staff.

Teachers at schools across Salina used excitement about the general election to teach everything from how easy it is to become a registered voter to how to make a bar graph.

For the most part, President-elect Barack Obama did better with the kids than he fared with their parents in Saline County voting booths Tuesday. Obama was the winner of student referendums held at Sunset, Heusner and Stewart elementary schools, as well as South and Lakewood middle schools.

Only Coronado Elementary students favored John McCain; 52 percent of students from kindergarten to fifth grade voted for the Republican candidate on laptop computers in booths fifth-graders constructed out of gym mats set on edge. McCain won, with 190 votes to Obama's 172.

McCain garnered 63 percent of the vote among Saline County adults.

Coronado students also overwhelmingly favored building an aquatic park.

"Out of 389 students in the school, only 39 kids voted against the swimming pool," said principal Tina Daniels. The slogan "Coronado R.O.C.K.S." also beat out "Coronado P.A.W.S." as a theme for the positive behavior plan for the school at 518 Neal.

Fifth-graders did research on the candidates and on issues facing the nation, Daniels said.

"Some of the older kids couldn't figure out why their vote couldn't really be counted," she said.

Students at Sunset and Stewart held their elections on Monday so they could mark ballots in the county's real voting booths, which were set up a day early. Both schools serve as the polling place for voters in their precincts.

"I felt like they really did learn a lot, and they really learned how hard it is to pick a candidate," said Pam Evans, fifth-grade teacher at Stewart, 2123 Roach. Only fifth-graders voted, with 33 votes going to Obama and 28 to McCain.

They also learned that a ballot is not like a homework assignment. You don't need to write your name at the top.

"I told them it's your right and your business only," Evans said.

Fifth-grade classes at Stewart used newspaper articles, the Internet and parent interviews to research the candidates' stands on education, global warming and the environment, war and national security, the economy and health care. Then they presented information about each candidate's views in a video conference.

"One student said McCain was going to offer a tax break so people could choose their own insurance, and she asked, 'What if people get their tax break and spend the money on something else?'" Evans said. "I think they learned that sometimes there aren't real clear answers to problems."

Before the mock election at Sunset, 1510 W. Republic, students attended an assembly about why it is important to vote and how elections work. Pictures of both presidential candidates were shown.

"When Obama's picture came up, the kids started chanting, 'Obama! Obama!' so it was not much of a surprise when he won," said school counselor Heather Renk. Students in kindergarten through fifth grade voted, with Obama winning 250 votes to McCain's 107.

"Most of the kids were pretty one way or the other," she said. "I think it depends on what they hear at home and how much it is discussed in front of them."

The previous week, Obama and McCain made special guest appearances during school announcements, where they found some common ground, Renk said. Renk covered her face with a picture of Obama's and the school librarian appeared as McCain.

"They said, 'We don't agree on much, but we both agree you should stay away from illegal drugs,'" she said.

At Heusner, 1300 Norton, fifth-graders were in charge of the election process, during which first- to fifth-graders marked paper ballots in computer carrels used as election booths. Fifth-graders checked the fluorescent orange ballot boxes every two hours and tabulated the vote, posting results in pie charts and bar graphs on fifth-grade teacher Damon Boyer's class Web site. Obama won with 176 votes to 109 for McCain.

More girls voted for McCain, while boys overwhelmingly favored Obama, the graphs show. Ralph Nader got three votes from girls and one from a boy.

"The kids were really excited about it," Boyer said. "They all got an 'I voted' sticker and wore them all day yesterday. All the discussion yesterday was about the election."

At Lakewood Middle School, 1135 Lakewood, students held a mock election last week using the county's actual voting machines. Seventh and eighth graders voted on ballots exactly like ones their parents used in the real voting booth, and sixth graders voted for president and the city sales tax issue.

Obama won with 457 votes, while 225 students favored McCain.

"We tried to make it as authentic as possible," said Frances Grant, eighth-grade history teacher. "Of course, they aren't 18 yet."

Students had to fill out voter registration forms very similar to the Kansas registration form actually used.

"We wanted to impress upon them that it's not hard to register to vote," Grant said. "It doesn't take very long, and it's something they should do when they turn 18."

Students worked on election-related projects for about three weeks before the election. Some students gave short speeches as if they were McCain or Obama discussing their position on issues, and gifted students staged a debate between vice presidential candidates Sarah Palin and Joe Biden. Students also made campaign posters and studied the electoral college.

"Our main goal is to have them vote when they turn 18 and to be informed citizens," she said.

Several students came to school tired Wednesday morning because they stayed up to hear Obama speak at 11 p.m., she said.

"My kids were talking about the election all the time," she said.

At South Middle School, 2040 S. Fourth, students had to register in advance to qualify to participate in the voting process. Out of 860 students, 631 became registered voters. Of the students who had registered by 3:30 p.m. Halloween day, 76 percent actually cast a ballot on Tuesday, said Principal Beth Morrison.

Assistant Principal Curtis Stevens set up 30 computers for use in the mock election, and students could visit them between classes and before and after school to cast their votes on a lengthy ballot. In addition to presidential candidates, South Middle students picked senators and representatives and voted to increase the city sales tax. Obama won with 284 votes to McCain's 186.

"One sixth-grade class came down to vote together because the teacher said the students were so excited they were not going to get anything done so they may as well come and vote," Morrison said.

Fifty percent of students said it was absolutely critical that the government focus on the war in Iraq in the next four years, followed by the economy with 49 percent. The economy was the top pick for where the government could do the most good with limited tax dollars.

"Unfortunately, only 8 percent said education," Morrison said.

n Reporter Erin Mathews can be reached at 822-1415 or by e-mail at emathews@salina.com.

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