(DURHAM, May 30, 2003) During a ceremony Wednesday at the State House in Concord, officials honored New Hampshire Public Television and those who participated in the November 2002 Student/Parent Mock Election held at the NHPTV Broadcast Center in Durham.New Hampshire Public Television received the CNN Award for Media and Technology for its voter education projects, and the Student/Parent Mock Election received the National Association of State Boards of Education Award for outstanding leadership in voter education. Presenting the awards to NHPTV and the Student/Parent Mock Election participants were Commissioner of Education Nicholas Donahue and Secretary of State William M. Gardner. “The NH Mock Election allows young people in New Hampshire to experience firsthand the electoral process and the significance of participating as active citizens in a democracy,” commented Donahue. “I believe the NH Mock Election is an invaluable experience for our young people and will help enable New Hampshire’s students to become fully productive members of society.”Sally Smathers Davis, president of the NH League of Women Voters, presented an award to Nashua's New Searles Elementary School for its commitment to increasing parent and community participation in both the mock and actual election.“The Mock Election provides an opportunity for students of all ages to learn about the electoral process in a relevant way,” noted Laura Kessler, the New Hampshire State Coordinator for the mock election. “They have the opportunity to research issues and candidates, learn about the voting process and then vote for their candidates. Winning these awards is a result of the incredible effort New Hampshire teachers took to help their students understand the importance of civic engagement and the relevance of politics and voting to their lives.” On November 1, 2002, students from more than 135 New Hampshire schools went to the “polls” to vote for Congressional and gubernatorial candidates as part of the 2002 National Student/Parent Mock Election. The NHPTV Broadcast Center served as election headquarters as schools from across the state called in their votes. Students answered the phones, tallied the votes and experienced the excitement of election night. They also had the opportunity to meet with candidates Martha Fuller Clark, Jeb Bradley, John Babiarz, Rosalie Babiarz, and Ken Blevens. For more information on the 2002 New Hampshire Student/Parent Mock Election, visit www.nhptv.org/kn/election.Beyond its award-winning local and national television programs, NHPTV provides instructional services for 220,000 students from kindergarten through high school; offers Ready To Learn programs for children, preschool to age 12; and provides professional development programs and advanced technology training for parents, educators and child-care providers in New Hampshire and neighboring states. For more information about NHPTV programs that entertain, educate and enrich, visit www.nhptv.org.
About New Hampshire PBS: New Hampshire PBS inspires one million Granite Staters each month with engaging and trusted local and national programs and services on-air, online, via mobile, in classrooms and in communities. Beyond its award-winning television programs, New Hampshire PBS is a leader in education and community engagement. www.nhpbs.org
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