USL students accurately predict Cunningham's victory in District 1 race
Long before Joe Cunningham was declared the winner in a tight race to become South Carolina’s District 1 representative in Congress, University School students had tabulated data from approximately 2,000 exit polls showing that he was expected to win in Charleston County and that he was also the favored candidate in two of Daniel Island’s four precincts.
Third through 12th graders from University School of the Lowcountry (USL) spent November 6 polling voters at the Daniel Island School and the Daniel Island Club, as well as more than two-dozen sites around Charleston County. Many students were surprised by the long lines they witnessed and appreciative of how courteous the voters were that they interacted with.
“When I think about USL’s goal to prepare students to take an active stance in civic duty, I think about exit polling,” says eighth grader Noah Staykoff, who conducted polls at Daniel Island School. “Exit polling is an integral part of USL’s culture and represents the school’s mission taken to a new level. The experience made me more informed, and it helped me practice being kind and attentive.”
Aside from helping students better understand civics and the ebb and flow of turnout rates for different types of elections, the students also learn valuable lessons about mathematics and statistics when they tabulate their data and make predictions about the election outcomes. The students have a strong track record of correctly predicting the outcomes of everything from referendums to presidential elections.
In preparation for exit polling, students heard from guest speakers representing many political parties — Katie Arrington (Republican), Melissa Couture (Libertarian), JA Moore (Democrat), and Gregg Jocoy (Green Party). Additional presentations that helped students better understand elections and civics were provided by The League of Women Voters, Jay Bender, who serves as legal counsel to the South Carolina Press Association regarding the freedom of speech, and former Charleston mayor Joe Riley.
“Exit polling is an annual tradition at USL,” says head of school Jason Kreutner. “We want our students to be engaged, informed citizens, and getting to know candidates and the issues influencing their campaigns prepares them for engaging with voters and collecting their feedback.”
University School of the Lowcountry (USL) is a non-profit, 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt independent school serving students from third through 12th grade. USL is a non-sectarian school for high-achieving, nice, curious students emphasizing individualized academics, experiential learning, and a strong sense of community. USL is accredited by the South Carolina Independent School Association and is celebrating its 12th year of serving children and families throughout the greater Charleston area. For more information please visit www.uslowcountry.org or call (843) 884-0902.