Oceanside Middle School students practice statesmanship

It’s election season and Oceanside Middle School students are getting ready to elect their team officers. Students met last week with their teams to make their campaign speeches, after which their classmates voted. There are four teams per grade and each team has its own student leadership council. The campaigning students touted their work ethic, commitment and willingness to listen to their constituents as reasons why they should be elected. They also invoked some of their favorite leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Several students quoted advice their parents had given them about persistence and hard work.

Brian Pod of Team 8-2 shared his grandmother’s advice in Spanish and then translated to English: “The greatest hits began as dreams.” He ended his speech by wishing good luck to all of the candidates, including his opponents.