5th Graders Learn Civics

On Tuesday evening, October 10, three Jonathan Valley 5th grade students participated in a candidates’ forum in their home town of Maggie Valley. Lara Ernest, a 5th grade teacher, taught a civics lesson regarding local elections and asked all of the students on her class to brainstorm questions that they might ask someone who was running for the office of alderman. When all of the groups had written their questions, a class discussion ensued and the best three questions were selected. The students who attended and participated in the forum each posed one of the class’ questions to the candidates. This was a great lesson in how the process of local government works for these three students as well as all the 5th graders at Jonathan Valley.