In the Mock Primary Election minor course, students worked with candidates to create campaign posters and buttons to promote themselves. The candidates also recorded political ads that were played in between classes, replacing the classic chime that begins and ends each period.

suffrage theme

“Voting is kind of magical. All you have to do is get to your polling station and add your voice to millions of others. But everyone has to do it. You, and the people a little older than you, have the numbers to make a difference. You just have to vote.” — Eliza McFeely, Upper School History Teacher

This year's Mock Primary Election celebrated the 100 year anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. Donning a traditional suffragist outfit, history teacher Eliza McFeely used the past disenfranchisement of minorities to stress the importance of one’s vote.

Joining McFeely to introduce this year’s theme of suffrage was beloved lower school Quakerism teacher Lynn Brick. Brick took on the role of renowned suffragist and MFS alumna Alice Paul for the day, and came back to teach students about suffrage and echo McFeely’s message.

During Andrew Yang's (Bailey Butterworth '20) speech, laughter could be heard throughout the gym as Yang took a more lighthearted approach. The crowd participated in a communal "Feel the Bern" chant during Bernie Sanders' (Aaron Klein '20) time on the soap box. And, during Cory Booker's (Calvin Bell III '20) speech, he was able to pull at the heartstrings of the audience as he discussed the reform that he wanted to implement. When the candidates walked onto that stage, they each brought their own style that made them and their speeches so unique.

Workshops

Following the opening ceremonies, students attended workshops hosted by MFS faculty and guest speaker Ray Suarez. Workshops addressed a variety of topics, from US- Cuba relations, to constructing economic friendly toys. Students had the opportunity to experience two workshops of their choice throughout the day.

Keynote speaker Ray Suarez hosted a workshop during the morning session entitled “Politics, The Media, and the First Amendment.” During his workshop, Suarez talked about the evolution of the news industry. He then went on to further discuss the challenge journalists are currently facing as the growth of media sources allows people to “choose” their news.

MFS students had the unique opportunity to cook with one of the best in business during Mock Primary Election. Chef Gail Arnold ‘79 hosted the workshop “Cooking with the Executive.” An MFS alum, Chef Arnold has much experience cooking for presidents, serving the likes of Hillary and Bill Clinton, as well as Michelle Obama. She has also worked for various other celebrities, such as Steven Speilberg, Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Bruce Springsteen, just to name a few.

During her workshop, Chef Arnold taught students how to make two different types of hummus and her signature ginger cookies. As students cooked, Chef Arnold talked about all the places her job has taken her, and the various accolades she has received. Additionally, she talked about her experience as a female in the cooking industry and how she navigated her way through predominantly male kitchens.

English teacher Mark Gornto and Director of Diversity and Inclusion Dorothy Lopez taught the workshop “The Rise of Hip Hop as a Social Justice Platform.” In this workshop, students discussed how this genre of music has been used as a medium for social reform throughout the years. Students analyzed popular social-justice songs “Fight the Power” by Public Enemy, and “This is America,” by Childish Gambino. Attendee Joaquin Estevez (‘20) had nothing but praise for this workshop.

“It gives students, such as myself, and other students interested in hip-hop, a way to share our interests while being academic…. Kids are the future, and kids listen to hip-hop,” Estevez continued, “so it is important that hip-hop teaches kids to vote wisely.”

P.E. Department Chair Michael Brunswick and fellow P.E. teacher Erick Cotter hosted a game of “Political Dodgeball” during Mock Primary. During this workshop, students were able to release any political tension they may have been experiencing through a game of dodgeball. As Cotter puts it, “You can bring your views, express them, and release them”. One participant echoed a message similar to that of Cotter. When asked if Political Dodgeball was an important workshop to offer on this day, the student said yes, citing this workshop as “very fun and an excellent way to use exercise to reflect on everything said throughout the day.”

English teacher Dan Sussman ran the workshop “Protocol Based Political Discussion.” In this workshop, students engaged in a unique style of political discourse. In this format of discussion, Sussman acted as the facilitator. He began by instructing everyone to write down an “I believe” statement (i.e. I believe there should be universal background checks). One student would then proceed to share their statement with the rest of the group. Students respond to the statement introduced with probing questions. This eliminates the typical back and forth debate style that is typical of political discussions. The questions posed can not be phrased in such a way that they indicate the opinion of the questioner. The purpose of the question is less about sharing your view on a topic, and more about understanding how someone came to their belief. Everyone involved in the discussion contributes a question, and it isn’t until everyone has asked a question that someone can ask a second question.

This process repeats until everyone has shared their “I believe” statement. This format of political discussion aims to eliminate the toxicity that can result from political discourse and provide students with a way to talk about politics in a fashion that allows them to better understand each other and opposing ideas. Participant Aani Desai (‘22) enjoyed her time in the Protocol Based Political Discussion, and sees this format of political discussion as something that should be implemented in the MFS community. “MFS has a diverse range of political views which are not always communicated in the most effective ways,” Desai explains. “This protocol allows everyone, no matter their viewpoint, to be heard and hopefully better understood.” Desai hopes to see these protocol discussion implemented in the advisor program or in an elective, “so, she says, “we could have these important discussions more frequently.

Voting