Students Vote For the Next President Babylon High School's twelfth-grade Participation in Government students jumped on the political bandwagon in November 2008 when they conducted a Presidential Straw Poll prior to the national election. In their classes, the students learned about the Presidential election process and incorporated the opinion balloting in a concluding exercise.

During homerooms, students in grades seven to twelve cast their ballots on who they would elect as the next President of the United States and then students in Mr. Skaar's class compiled the data. As a result of the schoolwide vote, the students elected Barack Obama. In addition to electing former Sen. Obama, the students also voiced their opinions on current issues they felt the next President would face.

"This is a wonderful activity," stated Babylon High School Director of Social Studies Dr. Mark Malaszczyk. "Not only did we see how our students felt about the candidates and the major issues facing our nation, but Mr. Skaar will then use the results as a teaching tool about the polling process. Straw polls have been a fascinating dynamic in this election cycle; our students had the opportunity to experience one for themselves."