Released: May 29, 2024
More than 3,300 eligible students in PA registered to vote through program sponsored by the Pennsylvania Departments of State and Education
Delaware County Council and the Delaware County Board of Elections extend congratulations to three Delaware County schools—Chester High School, Haverford Senior High, and The Haverford School—for receiving the Governor’s Civic Engagement Awards (GCEA) in recognition of their exceptional voter-registration drive efforts during the past school year.
The Governor’s Civic Engagement Award is presented by the Pennsylvania Departments of State and Education to celebrate the efforts of Pennsylvania high school students to educate, engage, and inform their fellow students about the voting process.
During the 2023-24 school year, The Haverford School won a Gold Level Award for helping to register more than 85% of eligible students.
Chester High School and Haverford Senior High School, which helped register more than 65% of their eligible students to vote, won the Silver Level Award.
“The culture of voting starts at home,” said Delaware County Board of Elections Chair Ashley Lunkenheimer. “In Delco, that culture clearly extends to our campuses where we see that student leaders and instructors are promoting the importance of registering to vote. We congratulate the three Delaware County schools where students and staff helped to make sure 65% or more of their eligible students were registered to vote before summer break.”
“Delaware County Council is immensely proud of these students for their commitment to civic duty,” said Delaware County Council Member Christine Reuther. “Their efforts in promoting voter registration are a testament to their leadership and community spirit.”
Across the Commonwealth, a total of 18 schools won Gold Level Awards for registering at least 85% of their eligible students, and 18 schools won Silver Level Awards for registering at least 65% of their eligible students.
In total, about 160 students helped register more than 3,300 of their peers, earning gold or silver level awards for their schools.
“These prestigious awards celebrate the efforts of Pennsylvania high school students to register their eligible classmates to vote and to hopefully launch them on a lifelong habit of voting,” Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt said. “Engaging the next generation of voters is crucial to the future health of our representative democracy.”
Looking Ahead to the 2024-25 School Year
Schools are encouraged to participate for the Governor's Civic Engagement Awards during the upcoming 2024-25 school year.
Registration details and helpful materials, including printable paper voter registration forms, a quick guide, and guidance for incorporating the voter registration curriculum into classroom activities, can be found on the Governor's Civic Engagement Award web page on the PA Department of State’s Voting & Election website.
For more information about voting and the upcoming election, visit the Delaware County election website at DelcoPA.Gov/Vote.