need campaign ideas

twk001 · #1 Sep 12, '12, 7:13 am

well, my DD wants to once again run for a student government spot. she has tried it for past two years but lost both years.

she attends a small parish school and it burns by buns that they let kids run year after year. there should be some limit, because several of the kids have held office since kdg!

anyway...this year she's up against the person she lost to last year. last year he made ridiculous 'promises' to the classroom of regularly scheduled snack-cakes, and 'no homework days', neither of which he could make happen. the snack cakes came one time, and obviously the teachers aren't going to hear about no homework days! i was steamed a little last year that during the speeches the teacher didn't step in and say something. but of course the kids are young, and it sounded cool, so he got the vote...

does anybody have any ideas to help my dd have a great speech? i'm coming up with all sorts of ideas but i want her to be able to talk from her heart and not be making any promises she won't keep. and of course, i really want her to have FUN with this. but...seeing how badly she wants this encourages me to help as much as I can.

any ideas appreciated! thanks...

Em_in_FL · #2 Sep 12, '12, 7:36 am

I would find out what the rules are for what she CAN do with the class.
Stand up, openly state what the rules are...
Something like:
Well, as we learned last year, obviously we can't promise "no homework days"... but we CAN do this (name xyz - fun stuff)!... A good class leader would find out what we can do and make it happen... not just make empty promises!

**Joe 5859** · #3 Sep 12, '12, 8:10 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Em_in_FL

I would find out what the rules are for what she CAN do with the class.
Stand up, openly state what the rules are...
Something like:
Well, as we learned last year, obviously we can't promise "no homework days"... but we CAN do this (name xyz - fun stuff)!... A good class leader would find out what we can do and make it happen... not just make empty promises!

Perfect response. It draws attention to the empty promises, but not in a mud-slinging sort of way.

wmw · #4 Sep 12, '12, 10:36 am

Your on the right track saying a good leader "would find out what the rules are for what she CAN do with the class". Now to prove she is a good leader she needs to find them. Find something to change or add. At least one. Dig it out now, talk to the Principle, teachers, and staff. This is what she is promising. How is she doing anything different except being nondescript about what she is working to accomplish. If you get some hard examples and get statements from the staff that this could be done under these controls, with proper support or parent involvement then you have solid promises that can be believed.

People of all ages have to show they are leaders before they can have a leadership position. She needs to be what she is asking to be named by doing it before it is voted to her.

lifeisbeautiful · #5 Sep 12, '12, 12:32 pm

What grade is she in? What grades will be voting? I personally would not encourage mentioning that last year they learned about empty-promises, referring to the boy, but if she did come up with ideas that sounded good, I would have her run it through the administration and then have her say something along the lines that she made sure it goes with the rules. So focus on her great ideas and that the ideas are feasible, the fact that she did make sure it can be done, vs pointing out what the other person did wrong.
I do think the age group matters, though.