FMHS to be honored with Catt winners

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DES MOINES – Fort Madison High School will be honored with 17 other Iowa high schools who achieved a 90% voter registration for eligible students.

Secretary of State Paul Pate announces 18 schools qualified for the Carrie Chapman Catt Award for the 2019-20 school year. The award is given to schools that register at least 90 percent of their eligible students to vote.

FMHS qualified for the award back in February and was one of the first nine schools in the state to hit the benchmark.

The project was spearheaded by FMHS teacher Mike Ehlers with the support of the administration.

“Since 2020 was the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote, I felt that it was important to participate in this initiative and to actively encourage students to register to vote leading into the 2020 presidential campaign. This also provided an additional opportunity for the students to learn about Iowans in history, the women’s suffrage movement and how their participation in politics is important,” said Ehlers, who teaches history and American government.

Secretary Pate created the award last September to encourage voter registration in high schools and to promote the new state law that allows 17-year-olds to register and to participate in primary elections.

“I want to congratulate the 18 schools that stepped up and got at least 90% of their eligible students to register to vote during this school year,” Secretary Pate said. “That is a remarkable achievement and shows true dedication on behalf of principals, teachers, and most importantly, the students.”

Carrie Chapman Catt Award, fmhs, fort madison, Mike Ehlers, Pen City Current, Voter registration

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