Big win predicted at Turlock High election convention: Learning

Candidate speeches, delegate caucuses and even a sophomoric stunt or two brought election year politicking home to Turlock High School students.

Red, white and blue took over the blue and gold at the Turlock High boys gym Wednesday for the THS Election Convention, an event of the students, planned by the students and geared for the students.

The caucusing restarted a decades-long campus tradition after a three-year break, said teacher Jennifer Cullum, who helped her leadership class students organize the day. THS election conventions began in 1990.

“With this being an election year, it seemed like a perfect time to start it up again,” she said. “Candidates running for Associated Student Body offices campaign, caucus and gain life experience that cannot be taught in a classroom.”

The 293 student delegates walked in under an arch of balloons, many dressed in character for their assigned states. Social studies classes assigned delegates and alternates.

“They are having fun, but they’re learning, too,” Cullum said.

The school’s Navy junior ROTC unit marched in with the colors and led the Pledge of Allegiance. An actual politician, Turlock Mayor Gary Soiseth, gave the keynote speech before the student contests began. Candidate videos and high energy music pumped up the crowd.

Freshmen clumped together as the California delegation, the largest. Several wore T-shirts from the California Milk Advisory Board’s national Happy Cows campaign. The Texas delegation sported cowboy hats and jeans. Overalls and flannel shirts could be spotted in the Virginia section. A New York delegate dressed as the Statue of Liberty.

Florida went all out, with Mickey Mouse ears hats, pool toys and beach balls. “We wanted to give more recognition for the character of the state,” said sophomore Andrew Wright, holding a giant inflatable lobster.

Each delegation had time to talk and tally their votes after each set of candidate speeches by office.

All of Florida’s votes in the first round, the race for student representative to the school board for 2016-17, went to a lopsided win for Lucas Bartell, a charity entrepreneur who raises money to give bikes to kids. Bartell rolled in on a hoverboard to an amped pop song. Like most candidates, he and his team came through the gym slinging candy to delegates.

The Turlock Unified School District board has two student trustees, one each from Turlock High and Pitman High, who give mostly advisory votes. But in a polished speech, Bartell pledged to make a real difference on the board. It was the polish, as much as the pledges, that earned him Wright’s vote.

“Lucas has the most experience in speaking and trying to sway opinions,” Wright said.

After his win, Bartell said he would work for equity, making sure all students had equal opportunities and access to educational materials. “There’s going to be other issues, but that’s going to be the focus of my work,” he said.

Other candidates focused on down-to-earth desires, things such as school buses to take student fans to sporting events; free food at spirit rallies; and more social media outlets for student sports and club events.

Some stuck to less concrete goals. “We’re going to make the next year really awesome!” chorused one spirit leaders team.

The winners of the spirit leaders contest were Taylor Askil and Adelae Fredeen, who offered a point-by-point plan to improve school spirit and arrived with male supporters cheering them on in skirted cheerleader costumes.

Also-rans Clayton Abrams and Alden Norquist made a memorable arrival. Both jumped up from concealed spots on the bleachers, pulling off tear-away pants to reveal bright orange boxers, which came off to reveal flag-patterned swimwear. Standing shirtless at the podium for their speech in black pants and suspenders, they emphasized they were the only male contenders in that race, making their point by tossing bright orange Wiffle balls into the giggling crowd.

Other 2016-17 student body posts won at the convention: Emily Kline for secretary, Andrew Gomez for treasurer, and the president/vice president ticket of Luke Reis and Robert Marchy.

This story was originally published March 26, 2016 at 2:58 PM with the headline "Big win predicted at Turlock High election convention: Learning."