Election Blog Jeissy Callard SPC2608

  The first presentation was Group 4, who focused on the economic side of elections. They explained how much elections can affect the economy and why it is important to pay attention to candidates' economic policies. With the cost of living continuing to increase and everything happening in the country, it helped me understand how voting can affect our everyday lives.After that, Group 3 presented on education and its role in elections. Their presentation was important because education is something that directly affects students like us. Different candidates have different priorities when it comes to education, so it is important to pay attention to their policies and what they plan to do for schools and college students.One of the topics I found most interesting was learning about the history of education policies in the United States. Before this project, I did not realize how much the education system had changed over time. For example, schools were once segregated, and students did not have equal educational opportunities. In 1954, Brown v. Board of Education ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. Later, in 1965, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act provided additional funding to schools, especially those serving students from low-income families. Another important change happened in 1975 with the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, which expanded educational opportunities for children with disabilities. Learning about these policies helped me understand that many of the educational opportunities students have today came from years of changes and efforts to make education more accessible and equal.Another part of the project that caught my attention was comparing the presidential election process in the United States to other countries. Before this assignment, I assumed most countries selected their leaders in pretty much the same way we do. However, I learned that every country has its own system depending on how its government is organized. Some countries allow citizens to vote directly for their president, while others use Parliament or elected representatives to help select their leaders. I thought it was interesting to see how different these systems can be. It also helped me understand that there is more than one way for a country to organize its elections.After listening to everyone's presentations, I realized that elections involve much more than simply choosing who becomes president. There are so many different areas, such as education, the economy, and government policies, that can affect people's everyday lives. I also learned that it is important to stay informed about what is happening in our country because the decisions made by elected officials can have long-term effects on our future. As college students, we should especially pay attention to issues that could affect our education, opportunities, and careers. Overall, this project gave me a better understanding of how elections work and why it is important to be aware of the decisions being made around us.