A fourth-grader was preplexed at Madison Elementary School’s mock election.

“Obama is doing a good job but Biden not so much. Romney is really good and Ryan is OK. It’s a hard decision,” the fourth-grader said.

Leading up to the election, all teachers followed an election curriculum. Students voted on clothes to wear on Nov. 2 (Pajamas won by a landslide.), showing “voting makes a difference and their voice could be heard,” PTA president Melanie Davis said.

Mayor Paul Finley visited and spoke to third- and fifth-graders about Madison’s election process. “He was fantastic and brought the election to life,” PTA volunteer Janoe Stauch said.

For the mock election on Nov. 6, each class went to the ‘polls’ and waited in line to show their PTA-issued voter registration cards. They signed in, had IDs verified, received a ballot, voted privately and received an “I Voted” sticker.

“Our PTA did an excellent job organizing the mock election. As a result of their efforts, students were educated on the voting process,” principal Dr. Timothy Scott said. Students told Scott that they felt “as though they were adults voting in the national election.”

“Furthermore, the PTA extended the learning in many classrooms to a different venue for students to actually put into practice,” Scott said. “Overall, the entire event was superb and a wonderful learning experience for our students.”

PTA volunteers gave the students “an authentic voting experience from the voter registration cards to the sign-in process to actually casting their ballot,” assistant principal Dr. Georgina Nelson said. “They felt grown up and that they could make a difference. There was a buzz in the halls about the entire experience.”

Nelson saw the children’s excitement if their candidate won and disappointment if their candidate lost. “They took their vote to heart,” Nelson said.

Stauch believes this generation’s parents should “teach about our rights. It all starts at home. Schools can build on that. If we continue to make it not just a fun experience, but a tangible one, the kids will really understand their vote’s effect.”