Making a Voter

Author: Tyler Hofmann-Reardon
Major: Political Science, History
Approved: Spring 2017
Status: Completed

The purpose of this distinction project is to create a course curriculum, designed to foster an informed electorate, to be administered in a high school. There are a number of perceived theoretical and practical problems with the American political system that trace their roots back to an uninformed and apathetic electorate with uncharacteristically low turnout in elections. This class will educate new voters on the theoretical and practical advantages of being a member of an active and knowledgeable electorate while also teaching these students how to reach and maintain this level of political activism. This project will involve a summer session focused solely on researching and developing the curriculum and lesson plans that will then be presented to a local high school, in the Fall, for consideration as a supplement to a government course or as a separate online component.