The Ignite Institute social studies department will host the third annual Ignite Institute Political Forum to take place Thursday, October 20, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Ignite Institute in Erlanger.
The event is led by students and will include live debates between candidates for Kentucky State House, State Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives.
NKyTribune file)
“At Ignite we strive to provide authentic learning experiences for our scholars,” said Jerry Gels, Principal of the Ignite Institute. “At this political forum they’re not just studying the U.S. government — they’re actively participating in it.”
There will be six individual hour-long debates, with the first beginning at 8:00 a.m., running up to the end of the school day. Select ninth grade government students from each of the six colleges at Ignite will ask questions of candidates running for political office in districts where they live. Twelfth grade students, many of whom will be eligible to vote by November will also be in attendance for the debates.
This is the third year that the school has held the Political Forum. In years when there are local elections, the Forum follows a debate format, while in off-years it is held as a roundtable discussion about the workings of the legislative branch of government.
“I love this event because it’s a chance for our students to have a real-world experience with the content. Our goal is for them to see that they have agency to affect the world around them, and that they have a right to question the leaders who make decisions that affect their lives,” said Darin Smith, head of the social studies department. “It’s also an opportunity for the candidates to get their message out to voters.”
The live event is only open to students at the Ignite Institute. The school’s media club will record each debate and release them separately on the Ignite Institute YouTube channel.
Ignite Institute
