An opportunity for students to learn electoral process

There is an essay contest being offered by Tennessee Secretary of State’ Tre Hargett’s office for students age 16 and older who want to serve as poll officials for the Nov. 3 election.
This sounds like a great way for young people who are interested the the election process to enter.
It’s a real opportunity for students to observe the electoral process first hand. Through this contest they can possibly win scholarship money besides gaining an election experience in writing. In addition, they can credit themselves with assisting the local election commission (in this case, the Carroll County Election Commission) with running a safe and secure election.
I understand that contest winners will receive a TNStars 529 College Savings Program scholarship.
Each of Tennessee’s Grand Divisions will have a first, second and third place winner. The three first-place winners will receive a $1,000 scholarship, with the second and third place winners receiving $500 and $250 scholarships, respectively.
The contest is open to any Tennessee resident who is age 16 or older and is enrolled in a public, charter or private school or home school association. Essays will be judged based on creativity, organization, development of ideas and response to the theme, Civic Duty. For contest rules and guidelines, visit sos.tn.gov/products/civics-essay-contest.
Students who serve as poll officials may help with several critical polling site tasks, including greeting voters, answering questions and processing absentee by-mail ballots. Poll officials are compensated for working on Election Day and for attending required training sessions.
All poll officials, including essay contest participants, are supplied with face coverings, gowns, face shields, gloves and other personal protective equipment and are trained in social distancing protocols.
This essay contest is part of the Secretary of State’s civics engagement initiative to prepare students to be actively engaged citizens. For more information about the essay contest and our other civic engagement education efforts, visit sos.tn.gov/civics.
To apply to be a poll official in your county, visit pollworkers.govotetn.com.
I say this sounds like a great contest to enter.