In recognition of the upcoming presidential election, eighth-grade students at Edmund W. Miles Middle School showcased their knowledge about the 2016 presidential candidates during an election debate.

In preparation for the event, students in their ELA classes created personal narratives and investigative journal pieces about the current candidates. These writing pieces were displayed in the library during the activity.

For the election debate, students chose to represent Hilary Clinton or Donald Trump and disputed the candidate’s view on modern issues. Moderated by social studies teacher Paul Duguay, students deliberated on the concerns of gun control, women’s issues, immigration, healthcare, foreign policy and LGBT rights. The eighth-graders presented for a panel of judges who decided which team of students best defended their candidate’s view on the topic.  

While students engaged in debate, their peers worked on Chromebooks in Google Classroom to comment on how well their classmates represented their candidate’s stand on the issue.