Discover Democracy
Choose a Location
Carefully choose a location to ensure your presentation's lasting impact.
Selecting a location at which to deliver your 'Discovering Democracy' presentation is a critical step in planning and executing your project. Because the presentation is targeted toward elementary and middle school students (particularly those in grades four through six), delivering the presentation at a local school is a natural option. However, Student Election Ambassadors are encouraged to 'think outside of the box' and deliver their presentation to groups of students in educational summer camps, after-school programs, or other community events. While the Ambassador program is based in Marin County, presentations can occur outside of Marin. When selecting a school or location, coordinate with employees or teachers to arrange for your presentation to be shared via screen or projector.
When undergoing the selection process, consider the ways in which your presentation can be the most impactful. Ask yourself the following questions:
01
Where do I see a need in my community for this knowledge to be shared?
To maximize your impact, consider delivering your presentation to a school or program that is under-resourced.
02
What is the students’ understanding of voting, and are the specific challenges or issues faced by the students and their community?
Before the presentation, speak with a teacher or leader of the student group to understand the level of student awareness regarding voting and civic engagement. Identify the challenges and interests faced by the community so that you can tailor your presentation to address those issues.
03
How could this presentation have the most meaningful impact?
While we would like to reach a large number of elementary and middle school students, a large audience is not necessary in order to deliver an impactful presentation. The impact of the presentation can be high when the presentation is shared within a small groups (where the presentation can be more interactive) and in under-resourced communities
To begin the process of selecting a location, complete the steps below.
Selecting a School
Consider the schools, programs, or events in your community or surrounding towns that might benefit from your presentation. For those presenting to a school, use the link below to access a directory of Marin County schools. Again, your project can be within, but does not need to be limited to, Marin County.
Contacting a School
Once selecting the location at which you intend to deliver your presentation, contact them to explain the purpose and details of your project, and ask for their support. For help drafting an email to a school, make a copy 0f the document linked below and substitute your relevant information.