Young students vote for president

Matthew Delacruz, a second grader at St. Patrick Catholic School, got a chance to feel like a grown up when he voted on Tuesday. "I voted for John McCain," he said. "He looks like a nice person. I'm sure he will be a good president. It's important to vote so we can have a perfect president for our America." The College Mentors for Kids program hosted a mock election for the elementary school students in the program Tuesday in Hulman Memorial Student Union. The kids had the opportunity to vote for Sen. John McCain, Sen. Barack Obama, Ralph Nader or undecided. Jennylee Torres, a second grader at St. Patrick catholic school, said she voted for Obama because she liked him. She also thinks it is important to vote, so there can be a president. Chelsey Robins, a second grader at Benjamin Franklin Elementary School, said, "I voted for Obama because he wins." At 5 p.m., the race was tied at 46 percent for both McCain and Obama. The kids voted at pocanticohills.org/election/election.htm. Whitney Gross, a junior psychology major and director of the College Mentors for Kids program, said, "It's important for them to know what the election is all about. They need to learn early that voting is an important part of the community." The ISU students in the program meet with kids from local elementary schools from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. every Tuesday. "They always come to campus and start off with the book of the week and a snack." Gross said. "After that, we try to do something to involve kids with campus and the community." Anyone interested in becoming a college mentor can find more information at collegementors.com, or can e-mail Whitney Gross at wgross@indstate.edu.