While some residents of Warren County were casting ballots for President of the United States and other government positions, a few made another decision.
As the culminating event of an enrichment unit on civic events, students at St. Joseph School registered to vote, signed in at their polling place, and cast ballots.
Students were voting to determine what organization will receive the funds raised by a "casual jeans day" at the school in December.
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With the help of fifth graders, each student in the school cast one secret ballot on Tuesday. The options were: St. Joseph Soup Kitchen, Warren County Salvation Army, and Warren County Humane Society.
"The lesson did not focus on the current presidential platforms or the competing candidates' ideology," project leader Delores Berry said.
Rather, the unit focused on the election process, from start to finish.
"This was individualized across the grade levels," Principal Dr. Howard Ferguson said.
Each student presented information during a school-wide assembly Tuesday, and each class sang a patriotic song.
In addition to giving the students information on the process of government, including voting, national symbols and songs, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, "a sense of patriotism is being built," Ferguson said.
Berry expressed her thanks to Susan Slater, children's librarian at Warren Public Library, "for her time and commitment in locating resources for the election process for children," and to "Mrs. Judi Danielson from the St. Joseph staff for preparing students for the Pride of America songs."
Ferguson thanked Berry for her dedication to the project. "The preparation paid off with a wonderful program," he said.
The final tally of the students' votes showed the Humane Society winning a landslide victory.