Students travel to rally for kids at debate

Presidential candidates weren't the only ones raising their voices in Myrtle Beach Monday night.

Before the Democratic debate began, a group of Johns Island students rallied outside the Palace Theater shouting "Vote for kids!"

"My throat's been hurting ever since that day," fourth-grader Amber Bailey said Wednesday.

She and 38 other students from Mount Zion Elementary School traveled to the debate site to tell Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Barack Obama to talk about children's issues.

Their trip was paid for by two organizations — South Carolina Afterschool Alliance, which works to raise awareness, increase sustainability and promote the importance of quality after-school programs in the state, and Every Child Matters, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works to make children a priority among national, local and state candidates, elected officials and other decision makers.

"I can get on my platform, but I'm an adult," said Jennifer Rison, campaign manager for Every Child Matters.

"Having the kids there lets people know that the kids really do care about their future, about what's going on with them now," she said. "That they understand the importance of things like after-school programs and that their parents struggle to fund their health care or make ends meet."

The organizations paid for about 200 children from around the state to make the trip to the Democratic debate, and for about 100 children to travel to the Republican debate earlier this month.

Rison believes more schools wanted to come to the recent debate largely because it coincided with Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

"The chaperones and adults really thought, 'What better way to teach kids about what Martin Luther King did than to have them demonstrating and becoming an active part of the political process,' " she said.

Several of the Mount Zion students said the experience changed the way they view elections. They realize that voters aren't simply picking their favorite person to be president — they're listening for candidates' views on specific issues.

And the students are now talking about the issues they want the next president to address.

"Eighty-six percent of people in prison didn't graduate from high school," said fifth-grader Pinita Tovar.

"Kids in all the schools are overweight and can exercise," said fourth-grader Zhańe Wilson.

Schools need more money for educational field trips, according to fourth-grader Amber Bailey. "If we learn stuff in class, we can go on field trips and learn more," she said.

"I wish kids could vote," Amber said.

Abbi Beckford, Mount Zion's nurse and coordinator of the trip, said many Johns Island children have great-grandparents, grandparents or parents who have been involved in human rights issues since the '50s and '60s.

"This is a great group of kids to carry on this tradition of being community activists and aware of what issues are out there," she said.

The students now have memories of a fun trip and are more cognizant that they have voices, she said. "As they grow into adulthood, they can stand up and voice their opinions, and really take part in the democratic process."

Reach Kristen Hankla at 937-5548 or khankla@postandcourier.com.