Dalton News

Students Dive into Civics with Election Assembly and Teach-In Workshops

Election season is in full swing, and the Middle School Faculty Teach-In Committee curated a series of hands-on activities to engage students in civics, US History, and their future role in our democracy. 
During Tuesday’s Election Assembly, four High School students took center stage to interview Julian Gerson '14, Senior Speechwriter for Governor Kathy Hochul, about the power of words in politics. Julian was followed by Melissa Russo '86, Senior Political Correspondent for News 4, who shared insights from the front lines of political journalism.

The learning continued with Thursday’s teach-in workshops, led by House Advisors. Students dove into topics like the workings of government and the election process, the history of American politics, and practicing media literacy and civil discourse skills. Examples of workshops include 4th and 5th graders reading Equality’s Call: The Story of Voting Rights in America by Deborah Diesen as a historical grounding to voting rights and 8th graders working with Julian Gerson '14, honing their political speechwriting skills (a sneak peek to their public speaking unit in spring). At Dalton East, 4th graders started the morning with a lively roll call dressed as their favorite states.

As part of The Unafraid Project, these events encouraged students to explore democracy from all angles — from analyzing historic campaign posters to comparing images of power in the ancient and modern world to exploring the math behind the Electoral College. The dialogue will continue when students have an opportunity to reflect on their learnings during House meetings, solidifying their understanding of the democratic process.
Back
(Grades K-3) 53 East 91st Street
New York, NY 10128
General: (212) 423-5200 | Admissions: (212) 423-5463
General: info@dalton.org | Admissions: fpadmissions@dalton.org

(Gr. 4 Dalton East & PE Center) 200 East 87th Street
New York, NY 10128
General: (212) 423-5200 | Admissions: (212) 423-5262
General: info@dalton.org | Admissions: admissionsmshs@dalton.org

(Grade 5-12) 108 East 89th Street
New York, NY 10128
General: (212) 423-5200 | Admissions: (212) 423-5262
General: info@dalton.org | Admissions: admissionsmshs@dalton.org