October 22, 2012
Although early voting officially began at 8 a.m., Monday morning, residents around Jefferson Davis High School received an additional call to action with jazzy tunes performed by a marching band mixed with mariachis.
Students from Davis HS marched to promote the beginning of the voting season. The peppy parade sauntered through the neighborhood on its way to nearby Holy Name Catholic Church and back again. The church is one of 37 early voting locations set up by Harris County.
“We organized this because it is good for the community,” said Davis principal Jaime Castaneda. “Not only should we educate our students, but (we should) educate the community. And educating the community about early voting is very important.”
Castaneda said about 80 of Davis’ students were currently registered to vote.
“We have a voice and we need to have a say in who we want and what we want,” said Davis student and first-time voter Darian Aguayo.
This general election includes a race for president, a U.S. Senate seat and multiple local and area measures, including the $1.89 billion Houston Schools bond.
About 300 people participated in Davis’ parade, which included students, staff and alumni.
“(Voting is) a right and they need to understand what a right is,” said Davis band director Samuel Jackson. “We are modeling this every day and we are teaching it as well. With this exhibition today, they know how important it is.”
Jackson, also a Davis alumnus, said he hopes everybody who is eligible to vote does so.
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Davis is one of the oldest schools in the district, having been opened in 1926. Should voters approve the bond, the school would undergo major renovations at a cost of approximately $46.7 million while utilizing parts of the existing structure.
In addition to the parade at Davis HS, students and staff at Furr High School held a voting rally on Saturday afternoon. Furr is one of 38 schools across HISD on the list to receive either a new school or major renovations.
“This is an extremely important election because it concerns the president, but it also includes what is happening here in the local community,” said HISD Board of Education Trustee Juliet Stipeche. “This election is going to have a major impact on our community for the next 20 to 50 years.”
If the bond is approved, Furr, which opened in 1960, would receive a complete replacement of its existing buildings and open a new state-of-the-art campus.
“It’s so important to us because, if the bond passes, Furr will get a new school,” said principal Bertie Simmons. “We’re just saying vote early and go to the end of the ballot.”
