Class of Hot Springs to host debates for candidates

HOT SPRINGS – A senior class at Hot Springs High School is taking the classroom outside the halls of the school and relating the lesson plan to some real world applications. The senior United States Government class taught by Vicki Nytes is planning to host a forum for the mayoral and city council candidates for the community.

The students will be in charge of organizing the event that will be a formal way for members of the community to find out what the candidates stand for and their stances on issues that concern Hot Springs. Nytes said the project is designed to engage the community, her students and those that are running for office.

“Local politics is the easiest way to get involved with and change our communities. The students are organizing the date, the time, they are putting up posters and coming up with the questions,” said Nytes. “Politics is accessible to everyone. It takes effort from people to get out on the streets and get the word out. I’m hoping the students learn something about the candidates.”

After a brief set of instructions from Nytes, her class of about 15 students fanned out across Hot Springs armed with posters to display on message boards and windows of local businesses and institutions. The posters included information about the debate that will be held at the Senior Center in Hot Springs and the names of the candidates that are expected to attend.

Several students had indicated to Nytes in the past their enthusiasm for the project. Two seniors that are particularly interested in local politics made their way down Main Street, hanging posters and talking with members of the local community about their project. Seniors Alex Green and Meara Schmiedbauer said what appealed to them about the project was getting involved with the community.

“I like being part of the political scene in Hot Springs. Figuring out who is running and what the problems are and talking to people about it,” said Green. “I like that we are getting to apply what we are learning.”

Schmiedbauer had similar reasons for her interest in the project.

“I like being involved and going to talk to people,” said Schmiedbauer. “It lets us step out of the classroom and out of our shells a little bit.”

According to Nytes, the class has been studying various aspects of the U.S. government, history of government and some bedrock philosophical principles upon which the founders crafted the Constitution and Bill of Rights. These lessons were designed to prepare the class for the task of hosting the formal political debate planned for Hot Springs candidates.

Nytes is hoping as a byproduct of the project, students will not only become more aware of issues that are of concern on a local level but of current events around the country and the world in general. Nytes said she has already seen tangible results from the students in her class.

“This is real world application at its best. Most of these kids are or will be 18 soon and voting,” said Nytes. “This is starting to matter to them. They are starting to pay more attention and notice what’s going on and ask what does this mean and that’s all I can ask for.”

The debate will take place October 7 at the Hot Springs Senior Center beginning at 7 p.m. Candidates that are expected to attend are incumbent mayor Randy Woods and challenger Karen Evans for the mayoral race.

For Ward 1, Richard Adams is running unopposed while in Ward 2 incumbent Leslee Smith is running against Ed Persico. The election will take place by mail ballot that will be sent to registered voters on Oct. 11. Voters that may have moved recently are urged to contact the Sanders County Elections Office to verify their correct addresses.