Carmel students take field trip to vote for first time

A group of Carmel Catholic High School students had the chance to vote Tuesday for the first time in a presidential election during a field trip in Mundelein.

The students were part of an Advanced Placement U.S. Government class taught by Jack Waddle.

Waddle and Carmel President Brad Bonham chaperoned the students on a bus trip across town to the early-voting site at the Mundelein High School West District Office. Of the 33 students who participated, 14 would be 18 years old by Election Day on Nov. 5 and therefore allowed to vote. The remaining 19 students not yet eligible to vote because they still would be under 18 by that date stood in the lobby and observed.

The field trip was the third time Waddle took students to vote.

“I just really want to encourage young people to be involved in the process and be informed, and the fact that Lake County has early voting, and that any Lake County resident can vote at any early voting location makes it really easy to organize a trip like this,” Waddle said.

Waddle said the goal is making voting as easy as possible for young people.

“It’s an opportunity to introduce them to the process and show them how easy it is to participate in and be engaged in our democracy,” Waddle said.

Evan Villinski and Cole Bonham, both 18-year-old seniors, said they liked having the chance to vote for the first time.

“I probably would have (voted) just because it was the first opportunity I had, but I really appreciate this experience, and definitely would not have been able to understand the ballot without being nudged along like this,” Villinski said.