Charged with transforming plain cardboard into visually appealing voting booths, seventh graders at Sashabaw Middle School rolled up their sleeves at got to work.
The students first painted a white base, added flowing red ribbons and blue stars to represent’but not duplicate’the American Flag.
Each student then chose three ‘American? objects to draw, paint, cut out and attach to the booths, thus creating an Americana-themed mixed media collage.
‘It feels good to help the community and we’re sort of getting involved with politics,? said Jonathon Pitts,? a student in Marilyn Ormiston’s second hour seventh grade art class at SMS.
Pitts chose to contribute a U.S Army symbol (his grandpa was a serviceman), a Chevy emblem?’they have a lot of cool cars,? he said’and a baseball, because ‘it was the only thing left.?
No two objects could be the same, Ormiston explained. The kids had to put their items on a sign up sheet, and if someone had already claimed their choice, the student had to keep looking.
Many of the kids were excited about their families and thousands of others from across the community seeing their work.
‘It feels better than just drawing a picture or something in class for no reason,? said Eric Matynowski, who chose a Ford Motor Company symbol, a bald eagle and a hockey emblem. ?(The township) is probably going to keep these for a long time, and it’s cool they asked us and not the high school kids.?
Jake Hendricks, who said he chose three different military symbols because several members of his family served in the Armed Forces, shared his political views while working on the project last week.
‘Even though I’m a Republican I would vote for Obama,? he said. ‘I don’t think McCain would do a good job because he’s just following Bush and we don’t need more of that.?
But at a nearby table, Haleigh Orr had a different opinion.
‘I think McCain is better than Obama because Obama (is pro-choice) and also for higher taxes,? she said.
Orr, who chose Paul Revere, a U.S. quarter and a hot dog as her symbols, said she wants to see what the next president will do to help middle class middle class families. She’d also like to see the creation of new jobs, and a program to help stop kids from dropping out of school.
The Academic Service Learning Project, she said, was worth the effort.
‘It was a lot of fun, and a way to help the community,? Orr said. ‘And I like when people see what I do, and people all over Clarkston will see this.?
Her friend Madison Barnes agreed, and said she’d probably vote for McCain, too, if she were old enough to cast a ballot.
‘I learned a lot more about politics,? Barnes said. ‘And a lot more about America.?