Words by Anna Lee Vaughn | Images by Ryan McGill
With the 2024 General Election approaching, Americans will soon head to the polls to elect the next President of the United States. However, another important election was held this week—though with a more playful twist.
On Monday, November 4, Maddox Intermediate School hosted a mock election, taking a lighthearted approach amid the high tensions of the current political race.
“With the political climate right now, we didn’t want to get into the presidential candidates’ personalities. So, some teachers came up with the idea to vote on something the students can relate to, using the same parameters as an actual election,” said Maddox teacher Barry Easterwood. “Our social studies teachers are tying this into their lessons to use it as a learning experience while teaching the kids about things such as the electoral college and how a president is elected.”
On Monday morning, eight students took to the stage, each representing a local pizza place and presenting a speech on behalf of their chosen restaurant. The debate featured the following pizza options:
- Domino’s
- Papa John’s
- Pizza Hut
- Johnny Brusco’s
- The Pie Factory
- Little Caesar’s
- Hunt Brothers Pizza
- The Maddox Lunchroom
After the speeches, students from each class took turns visiting a mock “polling place,” where they presented handmade photo IDs, cast their votes for their favorite pizza spot, and received an “I Voted” sticker for their participation.
In a closely contested race, Domino’s Pizza emerged victorious. While the outcome may not influence national policy, one thing is clear: Walker County’s future generation knows how to handle critical issues—like great pizza. WL
