Enrichment Program
Name of School: StoneBridge School
Location of School: Chesapeake, VA
Program Objective: to train Christian statesmen by teaching them how to get involved in the political process
Summary of Program:
At StoneBridge School, students learn about government by living the process. The politically ignorant StoneBridge student is the aberration, not the norm. StoneBridge history and government students are involved in the school's yearlong mock congress, complete with a house, senate, judiciary, president, and cabinet. Students are elected to these positions by their peers. They are divided into two political parties—the Liberty Party and the Constitutional Alliance Party.
History and government classes are conducted in parliamentary procedure. The history teacher of 9th and 10th grades, Mr. Burke, explains: "One of the most exciting things I have noted is the enthusiasm with which the freshmen get involved. Electioneering is spirited, and coalitions are forming. For example, in one of my classes, without regard to party affiliation, the girls, who have a majority in that classroom, formed a 'girl caucus' and devised a girl-specific voting action plan. Returning to class, they promptly exercised their will in voting. This is very real political activity, and they figured it out by themselves."
Mr. Gerdes' government students also have been directly involved in the real-world election process by conducting a get-out-the-vote campaign among family and friends. They created a database of nearly 2,500 registered voters, making phone calls and sending postcards reminding people to vote. Students have contacted their elected officials concerning specific issues. They have even traveled to Richmond to meet with their legislators personally and see the general assembly in action. Students have received extra credit for participating in the political campaigns of their choice and for working at the polls after school on Election Day.
"The insights I gained into the political process have been invaluable. I was learning, and I didn‘t even know it," said Justin Fike, chairman of the committee that drafted the original classroom constitution. Students have since amended the constitution twice. StoneBridge students have also attended the following leadership conferences over the last few years: American Legion Boys and Girls States, Kids Voting USA Virginia, Presidential Classroom Scholars Program, Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Conference, National Young Leaders Conference, and the Leadership Institute.
During the most recent election cycle, Mr. Gerdes' students conducted a political poll of 460 responses to test several messages on the recent sales tax referendum. The students made the calls and analyzed their results. Through a few nights of homework, they found what the YES Campaign probably spent thousands of dollars to figure out—that the people didn't trust the politicians to spend the money on the roads. They could then predict election outcomes accurately. Senior Alex Johnson, the attorney general, concluded, "This really made all the work we've done in the past worthwhile."
StoneBridge government students also read all the major legal documents, from the Magna Carta to the U.S. Constitution. These primary source documents provide a richer experience than the typical textbooks used by most public schools.
President Brandon Griffin concluded, "Our government class has taught me about the Christian values upon which this country was founded. Coupled with the mock congress and practical involvement, I have learned a great deal of political knowledge that will stay with me as I actively participate in politics."
StoneBridge Congress 6.5