In this edition of Progressive Philosophy and Pedagogy: A Blog for Progressive Educators the editors feature a team of Punahou School high school students who are spearheading Kids Voting Hawai‘i. In preparation for the USA’s 2024 General Election, we were interested in learning more about this youth-driven civic education initiative as it exemplifies the power and potential of a 21st Century progressive education. John Dewey (1980) asserted that “democracy has to be born anew every generation, and education is its midwife” (p.139) and the Kids Voting Hawai‘i team demonstrates how youth can take the lead in applying modern-day technologies and communication systems to provide the next generation with real world civic education experience. Also recipients of the 2024 Hawai‘i Social Justice Educator Award, enjoy learning from this group of teens in their responses below.
What is Kids Voting Hawai‘i?
Kids Voting Hawai‘i (KVH) is a nonpartisan grassroots organization that promotes civic participation by providing K-12 students in public, independent, charter, and home schools the opportunity to experience democracy firsthand by voting online in the state and federal General Election. The Kids Voting Hawai‘i group provides an online voting platform with the ballots and Voter IDs of participating schools. A curriculum is provided by Kids Voting USA and teachers in the classroom.
For the 2024 General Election, some of the questions on the ballot for sixth through twelfth graders include: “Should artificial intelligence (AI) usage be banned in schools?”; “Should the state institute a green fee on tourists to address climate change issues?”; and “Should Americans be able to carry guns for self-defense?”. Some questions on the ballot for kindergarten through fifth-grade students include: “Should students go on more field trips to learn?” and “Should we do beach cleanups in school?”
We look forward to publicizing the results of the Kids Voting Hawai‘i election and sharing the viewpoints of the youth of Hawai‘i.
Why is it important for young people to get engaged with elections as a part of their educational experience?
Being encouraged to participate and being taught how to vote in a classroom setting is a huge driver of civic engagement later in life.
Before the last presidential election, young people who said they had been encouraged and/or taught how to vote while in high school also said they were more likely to vote. Those who said they remembered those educational experiences were more interested in the 2020 election, more knowledgeable about the voting process, and more likely to engage in other civic activities.
This matters to us locally. In the 2024 primary elections in Hawaii, less than a third of registered voters participated. Our voter turnout is so low that some local races are won by just 100 votes. Literally every vote matters. We kids can see that lack of engagement all around us, and it’s discouraging.
We hope to have a record number of students vote in our Kids Voting Hawai‘i election this year. If we can meet that goal, we can show everyone that we can do something about the low turnout if we prepare kids to vote while still in school.
We also hope that KVH elections can encourage conversations at home. Some parents might be willing to mail in a ballot to set an example if their kids asked them about voting after participating in our election.
Our own experiences show us that voting leads to other positive forms of civic engagement. Citizens who vote tend to be more informed about current issues and involved in other civic and social groups. Voting breeds a cycle of positive civic activity.
Why did you (each of the authors) get involved with this particular initiative? What drew you to it?
Sophia has grown up in a civically engaged family, attending marches, writing postcards, and staying on top of current events from a young age. She understands that not everyone has had the same experiences and may not be attuned to the importance of voting. Sophia wants young people to feel empowered to have a say in the future of their communities and recognize the privilege of voting in this country. For Sophia, Kids Voting Hawai’i represents an opportunity to energize the next generation of young voters. By instilling voting habits in young people across the state, we hope to prepare them for future civic engagement as adults. Hawai’i has one of the lowest voter turnouts in the entire nation. This civic-minded endeavor will engage more students from an early age, helping to foster the idea that democracy and the voices of young people matter.
For Kahn, Kids Voting Hawai’i offers a continuation of the work he started during his time on the Honolulu Youth Commission and his work with the Care for Aina Now Coalition—advocating for greater youth involvement in civics. Voting is a habit; Kahn believes that through this mock election, we can help to instill the habit of voting in the youth of Hawai’i. As a youth himself, he hopes that his generation is the one that breaks the decades-long trend of extremely low voter turnout in Hawai'i and is confident it will. Kahn believes that KVH gives students the platform not only to practice the habit of voting but also to make their voices heard for the rest of the state to hear when KVH publishes the results.
For Lulu, Kids Voting Hawai‘i is about increasing civic education in a nonpartisan way so that all our viewpoints drive more participation. The goal is to make sure kids understand why voting is important so that they are confident and empowered against misinformation about the process. KVH is important to Lulu because our generation really feels the impacts of changes in politics, technology, and everything around us, from school safety to climate change. Sometimes it feels overwhelming. The point of KVH is to help students feel like we have a say in choosing who makes policy decisions that impact us and our futures. Lulu wants kids like her to know that their opinions matter and that they matter.
What have you learned from being a part of this group and initiative?
As part of our work with Kids Voting Hawai‘i, we have learned community organizing skills and how important outreach efforts are in making a project like this happen.
Thanks to our adult mentors, we were able to connect with experienced professionals who helped us with media and public relations skills such as speaking with reporters and preparing press releases. We also practiced public speaking skills when presenting to teachers, administrators, and student groups.
We know how important it is to be part of a team where everyone has unique strengths and something to contribute. Our teamwork was made possible by a lot of behind-the-scenes work by State Representative Amy Perruso and Dr. David Ball. They are inspiring leaders and role models, and none of this would be possible without them.
We are so excited about the statewide participation in our first-ever Kids Voting Hawai‘i “I Voted!” Sticker Contest and we learned a lot in the process of launching that effort. On behalf of the Kids Voting Hawai'i Student Leadership Committee, we're excited to share the results of the 2024 "I Voted" Sticker Design Competition. More than 40 students from across Hawai'i shared their vision of why voting matters!
Design submitted by Kylie Uehara, sophomore at Punahou School
Design submitted by Nori Hart, a third grader at Mānoa Elementary
Design submitted by Sunny Muramoto, a fourth grader at Punahou School.
Our finalists were chosen by our esteemed panel of guest judges: Jaime Kanani Green, First Lady of Hawai'i; Solomon Enos, Hawai'i artist; Kamakani Konia, Arts Program Specialist and Project Manager at the State Foundation for Culture and the Arts; and Riley Mishina, KVH Student Leadership Committee and Honolulu Youth Commission member.
With over 1000 votes cast, our 2024 winner is Kiya Malczewska! Kiya’s winning design will be sent to more than 60,000 students registered to vote in this year's mock election.
Congratulations to Kiya Malczewska, a senior at Hawai'i Technology Academy, who created the winning design for the Kids Voting Hawai‘i 2024 “I Voted!” Sticker Contest
It’s not too late to participate!
If you act fast, you can still join Kids Voting Hawai‘i this election season. Just designate a School Level Ambassador and send their name and email to support@civiceducationcouncil.org to vote with us this November!
Interested 8th, 9th, and 10th graders who want to be a part of KVH2026 can email the Kids Voting Hawaii Student Leadership Committee at kidsvotinghawaiislc@gmail.com.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Dr. Amber Strong Makaiau is a Specialist at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Director of Curriculum and Research at the Uehiro Academy for Philosophy and Ethics in Education, Director of the Hanahau‘oli School Professional Development Center, and Co-Director of the Progressive Philosophy and Pedagogy MEd Interdisciplinary Education, Curriculum Studies program. A former Hawai‘i State Department of Education high school social studies teacher, her work in education is focused around promoting a more just and equitable democracy for today’s children. Dr. Makaiau lives in Honolulu where she enjoys spending time in the ocean with her husband and two children.
Lulu Cole ’27, currently in tenth grade at Punahou School, stands as a Life Scout in BSA Troop 11 and plays an active role in both the Speech and Debate and Astronomy Clubs. Her pursuits are driven by a keen interest in promoting access and equity in STEM fields, fostering civic engagement, and championing initiatives that uphold democracy.
Sophia Howell ’26, a Junior at Punahou School, assumes the role of Coordinator for the Education group within the Davis Democracy Initiative. Within this dynamic working group, Sophia exhibits an interest in issues pertaining to racial and cultural injustice in education, alongside concerns regarding Hawaii’s literacy rate and the impact of COVID-19 on educational progress.
Kahn Ho ’25, a Hanahau'oli graduate and now Senior at Punahou School, serves as a commissioner on the City and County of Honolulu’s Youth Commission, a position appointed by Mayor Rick Blangiardi. Passionate about effecting change, Kahn channels his energy towards addressing pressing issues such as affordable housing and advocating for the cessation of the youth-to-prison pipeline.
