AILSA CHANG, HOST:
As the swing state of Arizona prepares for a national election, the students of Salt River Elementary School have their own voting day.
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CHANG: This year, the students at this tribal school had a big decision to make - is their favorite school lunch pizza or chicken nuggets? It's part of a broader effort to teach kids about democracy and how their voice matters. NPR's Jonaki Mehta was there as the students went to the polls.
DAWN BURSTYN-MEYERS: Hey - are we voting today?
UNIDENTIFIED STUDENTS: Yeah.
BURSTYN-MEYERS: Yes, OK.
JONAKI MEHTA, BYLINE: Just east of Scottsdale, as excitement around Election Day kicked off at Salt River Elementary, I talked to a couple of kindergartners to get a taste of the school's favorite lunch. The polling was split.
UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT #1: I voted for chicken nuggets.
UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT #2: I voted for pizza.
MEHTA: This morning, Mrs. Meyers' class is getting geared up to cast their ballots. Pompoms in hand, they're practicing how to spell the word vote with their body.
BURSTYN-MEYERS: Show me an E. Say E.
UNIDENTIFIED STUDENTS: E.
BURSTYN-MEYERS: What's the word?
UNIDENTIFIED STUDENTS: Vote.
BURSTYN-MEYERS: I hear children coming up to me, oh, I saw the word vote in the car, or I heard about voting on television. So there's...
MEHTA: Dawn Burstyn-Meyers teaches music and movement at this tribal school, and she loves getting her students excited about democracy.
BURSTYN-MEYERS: And that's what it's all about - starting at that young age, for them to grow up to be lifelong voters, and maybe president or councilmen in their community, to help their community.
MEHTA: Every year, students exercise their right to choose between things like jump rope versus basketball, PE versus math. It's through a nonprofit Mrs. Meyers works with called Kids Voting Arizona.
BURSTYN-MEYERS: Have your own space.
MEHTA: Her kindergartners sprawl out across the floor to fill out their practice ballots. The kids are on edge as they await the real vote from the entire student body later on. Whichever menu item wins will be served to the whole school on November 6.
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MEHTA: As the clock strikes 11 a.m., students roll into the library. It's decorated with art of pizzas, nuggets and American flags.
BURSTYN-MEYERS: I'm going to give you a ballot, OK?
UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT #3: I can't believe this is happening.
MEHTA: The students get their ballots and walk over to privacy booths made out of cardboard. Then they drop their ballots in a box, where Martin Harvier places stickers on their shirts.
MARTIN HARVIER: You know what that says?
UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT #4: What?
HARVIER: I voted today.
UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT #4: Wow.
HARVIER: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT #4: (Laughter).
MEHTA: Harvier is the president of Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. He knows just how hard it's been for Native Americans to exercise their right to vote. He reads out loud a banner in the schoolyard.
HARVIER: Your grandparents couldn't vote, but you can. And so that's kind of been the slogan here in the community.
MEHTA: Voter suppression tactics kept indigenous people in Arizona from voting until the 1970s. Harvier and his team are working hard to get out the vote for next week's election. And these kids are part of it.
HARVIER: Hopefully, the kids are also going home and letting their parents know, hey - I voted today, and we would like you to go vote in not only our tribal elections but the national elections, which is a very important election in Indian country.
MEHTA: It's a conversation sixth grader Alonzo Lopez has been having with his family.
ALONZO LOPEZ: I think it's really important because our ancestors weren't able to vote because the whites thought we weren't a part of them and that they were going to change us.
MEHTA: Once the ballots are in, tensions are high as the student council gathers to tally them.
UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT #5: Forty-one.
MEHTA: And finally...
AMANDA GUERRERO: Are we ready for the result of our election?
MEHTA: That's Principal Amanda Guerrero on the loudspeaker in the library.
GUERRERO: The winner is pizza.
(CHEERING)
MEHTA: Yes, there were clearly cheers and some disappointment. But as the students of Salt River Elementary learned today, your candidate losing can be a part of the process.
Are you disappointed?
UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT #6: Chicken nuggets was going to win.
MEHTA: Was it still fun to get to vote and share your voice, though?
UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT #6: Yeah.
MEHTA: And anyway, what kid doesn't want pizza for lunch? From Salt River Elementary, I'm Jonaki Mehta, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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