On the day of the 2024 presidential election, Emery/Weiner teachers Cara Bendayan and Limor Oren led three Emery students across Stella Link Road to the Daily Satellite Lot. Juniors’ cars did not fill the parking lot like most days. Instead, the Southwest Central Church of Christ Rows housed a voting center with candidate signs dotting the perimeter and American flags plastered around. Voting booths housed citizens, all bent over the small screen, and others filing past, flaunting “I voted” stickers.
Organized by United States History teacher Cara Bendayan, the Emery/Weiner School gave students the opportunity to vote during their lunch period, which all three seniors, Caden Warren, Daniel Harris, and Ali Jacob, eagerly utilized. For these Emery/Weiner seniors, the 2024 presidential election was the first election in which they were eligible voters.
Bendayan believes it is important to educate young voters about their civic responsibilities and believes this opportunity can make a difference in students’ lives. “I teach democracy, and [voting] is part of American democracy,” she explains. By providing students with this opportunity and assistance, she hopes they realize “it isn’t stressful, so they vote again in the future.”
Although voting meant giving up their free lunch period, all students were grateful for the opportunity. “I’m proud to be American and proud to make decisions that affect my community,” expresses Warren.
Similarly, “It feels great to vote in my first election,” remarks Jacob. “It feels like I’m doing a service for my country and feels like I’m doing my part and making an impact in a big country,” she concludes.
Regardless of election results, this opportunity inspired students to become active participants in their country and learn the importance of voting. “It’s what democracy is, and we can’t have it without voting,” states Bendayan.
