SPB Sponsor:
The steering committee presents the final approved projects to the school community. Students campaign for ballot proposals through posters, presentations, assemblies, video ads, social media, and/or the school newspaper. With support from SPB Coordinators and Sponsors, steering committees facilitate opportunities to deliberate about the ballot items amongst the student body and conduct a school-wide vote, allowing students to decide which projects to fund.
Launch Your School's Campaign
SPB Sponsors will work with the steering committee to create campaign materials, share the final projects with the school community, and inform the school about the vote day. The steering committee conducts outreach to the entire student body to ensure an inclusive campus-wide vote.
Example campaign materials include:
- Flyers & Posters
- Video Announcements
- Social Media Posts
- Classroom Presentations
- Ballot boxes (if applicable)
Students may also design deliberation activities with the general body to discuss the pros and cons of each ballot proposal, and to ensure voters are informed before their SPB Vote Day.
Plan for Vote Day
With the support of SPB Coordinators and Advisors, SPB Sponsors will work with the steering committee to execute a school-wide vote.
- Complete the SPB Vote Day Checklist & Plan.pdf
- Schedule time with school leaders to propose and approve your vote plan
- Collaborate with SPB Coordinators and Advisors to request and receive materials needed to conduct your campus Vote Day (i.e., ballot boxes, voting booths, printed ballots as available)
Spread the Word about SPB
Work with the SPB Coordinators, school and/or district leaders to alert local media of vote day activities to garner interest and support from community members around SPB. Use social media to announce winning projects, share voter turnout rates, and celebrate the number of students registered to vote for future Arizona elections (if applicable).
Tips for Campaigning, Deliberating, & Vote Day Planning:
- Encourage skill-building for students by incorporating campaign and deliberation activities with the student body.
- Make sure the vote is completed with plenty of time for project implementation before the end of the school year, being especially mindful of any procurement cut-off dates.
- Ask SPB Sponsors to choose a Vote Day within a specific time period to ensure the date of the election works best for each school.
- Ensure key stakeholders, principals, and teachers are aware of Vote Day plans for their school.
- Partner with local voter engagement and electoral institutions to register students (and possibly staff and families) who are eligible to vote in state and federal elections.
- Drop off materials (ballots, stickers, instruction sheets) to SPB Sponsors before the Vote Day.
- Provide incentives for students to vote (e.g., “I Voted” stickers, snacks, extra credit).
- Engage the whole school community by hosting a vote for families and teachers.
- Think about ways to track, gather, and share SPB Vote Day metrics (i.e., winning projects and projects on the ballot, voter turnout or number of votes cast, and number of students registered to vote if applicable).
For facilitating meetings with the steering committee:
› Let's Campaign Elementary Lesson Plan.pdf
› Let's Campaign Middle and Secondary Lesson Plan.pdf
Campaign Strategy Worksheet.pdf
› Planning the Vote Day Lesson Plan.pdf
SPB Vote Day Checklist & Plan.pdf
› Direct vs. Representative Democracy Lesson Plan.pdf
Direct vs Representative Democracy Survey.pdf
For facilitating the vote day with the student body:
› SPB Vote Day Student Body Activity.pdf
For Vote Day planning and implementation:
› SPB Vote Day Checklist & Plan.pdf
› Sample SPB Vote Day Class Schedule.pdf
› Sample SPB Vote Day Layout.pdf
Social Studies lessons and activities to support learning during the SPB process: