Attorneys needed to teach kids about elections

Indiana Kids’ Election, which helps teachers by providing resources about the election process, is looking for attorney volunteers in schools around the state.

Under state law, schools must give instruction on the election process two weeks prior to a general election. IKE provides free curriculum guides that meet state academic standards to participating schools and is available for grades K-12. Students will then elect the governor, president and senator in their own elections.

Attorneys are needed to provide one-hour classroom presentations about the election process, how to make informed choices about the candidates, and more. Attorneys are given age-appropriate resources to help them present to the class.

To volunteer, sign up at www.inkidselection.com, under the “For Lawyers’ tab. The Indiana State Bar Association, which sponsors the even with the Indiana secretary of state and the Department of Education, will then match the attorney with a participating school by Oct. 1. Attorneys will be matched with a school in their county unless the attorney is willing to travel to a school outside of his or her home county.

Currently there are more than 830 schools registered to participate in the IKE program this year. The organization is hosting a gubernatorial town hall meeting for high schoolers Sept. 27 at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis. Democratic candidate John Gregg, Republican candidate Eric Holcomb and Libertarian candidate Rex Bell will participate.  

“In our state’s bicentennial year, it’s extremely fitting that Hoosier students statewide get to take advantage of this special opportunity afforded them through Indiana Kids’ Election,” ISBA President Carol M. Adinamis said. “This program demonstrates the legal community’s commitment to instilling the importance of voting in today’s youth.”