Student members of the Parker Democrats Club orchestrated a phone-banking opportunity for peers interested in supporting the recent election.
Knowing the upcoming presidential election was anticipated to be incredibly close across the nation, and the results in seven swing states would decide the outcome, Parker Democrats Club leaders, seniors Lincoln Hamid, Annabel McIntosh and Beckett Nikitas, wanted to offer their peers opportunities to take tangible action to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot—opportunities to phone-bank!
Phone-banking is a campaign strategy that allows interested citizens to use their own computers, headphones and microphones to collect voter data and encourage voter participation, educating and motivating others to action. All Upper School students have laptops as well as a common lunch period, facilitating their ability to combine efforts for this cause, and the Parker Democrats Club called upon them all to participate.
For three days, students could spend their lunch period in the service of democracy, logging in to an autodialer and reading prepared scripts on their screens to those who answered. Students reported that some folks were receptive to their calls and information, while others had no time or patience for them. As Election Day drew closer, fewer people answered their phones, so students read their scripts on voicemails.
The school commends the great work of these students for their service to democracy despite not being old enough to vote!
Francis W. Parker School educates students to think and act with empathy, courage and clarity as responsible citizens and leaders in a diverse democratic society and global community.