If North Fayette

Elementary School's fourth and fifth grade students were old enough to

vote Tuesday, they would have been thoroughly prepared to select a presidential

candidate.

Teachers Barbara

Russell and Jane Trice took their students through a hands-on study of

the electoral process starting with a nomination and moving through campaign

issues and the election.

With voter

registration cards in hand, the students lined up Monday afternoon to

receive their ballots, moving efficiently to the voting booth and ballot

box. In the hallway outside their classrooms were red, white and blue

streamers punctuated with handwritten slogans like "Get off your

tush and vote for Bush" and "Go Gore."

issues like health care, the military and education spending, Russell

said the students could compare the platforms of the top two presidential

candidates and make personal decisions on who they would like to become

president. "Be your own person, I told them," Russell commented.

Ross Downin

explained how Gov. George W. Bush proposes a tax cut for everybody, including

the wealthiest people, who also happen to pay the most taxes. Robert Burgess

said Vice President Al Gore wants to help the military by paying soldiers

more and improving their living conditions. Kimberly Anding pondered Bush's

plan for senior health care, particularly allowing for more privatization

of the system.

The students

said they used a variety of sources for their project, including the Internet,

newspapers and TV. The result was a class of future voters with a clear

understanding of how a president gets elected and the importance of exercising

the right to vote.