OLIVER SPRINGS, Tenn. — Adults are not the only ones with election overload, kids across the U.S. are seeing the 2020 presidential election unfold too.
"The kids hear the talk at home and they hear it in the community and out in the world but a lot of times they don't understand what is going on," said Erika Gouge.
So kindergarten teacher Erika Gouge, at Dyllis Springs Elementary School, said they are using the election as an opportunity to keep students engaged with learning.
"I think as a teacher, that is your goal all the time — to make sure they are relating to the real world and understanding what's happening around them," Gouge said.
So they spent this election cycle making sure that when the times comes, the kids in their classrooms know how powerful their voice can be. They said they want kids to be excited about casting a ballot during elections.
"It just helps them become citizens in the world and to understand what's happening, what's going on and how important it is to use their voice in the world to make changes as they can," Gouge said.
The teachers explain the process to their students, from voter registration to casting a ballot. They said that voting is a right that didn't come easy, and they try to teach their students that.
"People did fight for this right and we need to honor that," she said.
Third-grade teacher Shelia Cantrell wants her students to know that voting is a powerful tool that can make a huge difference in the world.
"They need to know they have that right that they can change things and they can change the world," Cantrell said.