|
|
City Clerk - NoMi Kids New City Clerk Initiative
“NOMI Kids and Democracy” is designed to teach students about citizenship, civic involvement, local government and our electoral process.
Official 2009 ELECTION RESULTS
A new initiative called “NOMI Kids and Democracy”, created by City Clerk Alix Desulme to engage students in civic participation while learning about their local government. “NOMI Kids and Democracy” is designed to teach students about citizenship, civic involvement, local government and our electoral process. “NOMI Kids and Democracy” is designed to benefit all North Miami students in grades 3 through 12.
For a program with this level of importance to be successful, it takes many people from many professional and political endeavors to work with the students and political leaders of tomorrow. The NOMI Kids and Democracy program steering committee includes, The City of North Miami Staff members at all levels, Dade County staff members, elected officials, business leaders, religious leaders, community leaders, teachers, principals, and parents.
During the City’s Student Government Week, the City Clerk’s Office in conjunction with Miami-Dade County Public Schools and Miami Dade Elections plans a series of activities for the students. Each participating school selects a program coordinator who manages the program. School coordinators are responsible for working with student representatives, and each school creates its own ballot, which can contain student candidates or referendum questions that impact the school. During this week, each coordinator receives curriculum materials and support by Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ Social Science division. The curriculum is primarily focused on local government and civic involvement. The curriculum is also tailored by grade level. Prior to Student Government Week each school is responsible for classroom activities for candidates such as debates and other campaigning related activities.
Coordinators are responsible to submit candidates’ names or questions to the county’s elections department prior to voting, who will partner with schools to load information into voting machines that will be used for the actual election.
The Election Department is responsible to for printing the ballots, and providing schools with other needed materials such as Privacy Voting Booths, machines if needed and “I Voted Today” Stickers for each student. The Elections department coordinates with The City Clerk’s office to assist any additional requests on voting day.
All Participating Schools Vote from 9 AM to 2 PM. After the voting process, all materials are collected and returned to City Hall for official tabulation of results. By 6 PM on election day, students and the general public can log on the City Clerk’s site to view actual results. Run-Off elections will be held the following day, if needed.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools Social Science division will coordinate voter registration drives on Election Day at participating High Schools. Students who are not registered will not be eligible to vote, so voter registration is highly encouraged and campaigns explaining just how important registration is to this process will be explained.
A swearing in ceremony will be scheduled prior to all elections. Once all winners are announced, all candidates that ran are invited to special ceremony at City Hall. Students are sworn-in to office by circuit or county judges. Community Leaders, parents, School Officials and other students are invited to the ceremony. A special luncheon in the honor of the winners is held immediately following the ceremony, allowing students from other schools in the county to network, talk about school processes and gain insight of the electoral process at other schools.
All School Site Coordinators are responsible to make sure that the Student Government, cabinet members or School Representatives meet at least once a month and discuss important issues pertaining to the school. Based on commitment, some schools will meet on a weekly basis.
Once a year, all candidates are invited to a one day leadership training hosted by the Mayor’s and City Clerk’s Office. Students will get hands on training on several key traits important to successful leadership. A Keynote speaker is invited to motivate students and provide real life examples of successful leadership .
Plans are being made to allow Student Representatives to travel to Tallahassee during “Children’s Week” to meet their state legislators and learn about the legislative process in the State’s capital.
All of the funding for NoMi Kids is provided by individual donors or small businesses and corporations. Although, the City of North Miami does not fund this program, the city staff does give countless hours to assist in the success of this program. We strongly believe that this program will better prepare our students to handle the democratic system that our country is founded on, and will hopefully allow them to participate on a lager scale once of legal age to vote and run for public office. This program also provides leadership opportunities within school that will undoubtedly lead to leadership opportunities later in life.
Elementary Schools Middle Schools & K-8 Centers Senior High Schools
|
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
