Election day at Christel House Mexico

Christel House Mexico (CHMX) students learned first-hand about the electoral process by voting for the new student council in the 2024-2025 school year. With guidance from their teachers, high school students at CHMX organized five political parties, each vying for the chance to lead and represent the student body. The entire process simulated a real election and thanks to a partnership with the National Electoral Institute (INE), the legitimacy of the process was ensured. The INE is an independent public organization in Mexico responsible for organizing federal elections and ensuring that electoral processes are transparent, legal, and fair.

Throughout the campaign period, students developed and shared their proposals, targeting initiatives that addressed key areas of student life, ranging from campus activities to improved resources. “The students involved in the political parties demonstrated many skills, including critical and persuasive thinking, and organization that allowed them to carry out their campaigns,” said René Peralta, CHMX Upper School Humanities Teacher. “They created banners to promote votes in their favor, visited classrooms to present their proposals, and the candidates shared their ideas and platforms in a debate held before the entire school.” The debate challenged students to engage in public speaking and sharpened their skills as they respectfully debated ideas. It was a crucial component of the process, helping students build confidence while respecting differing perspectives.

In a lottery ceremony held before the election, students were randomly selected to serve as poll officials—a significant responsibility as they tracked voter turnout and maintained order during voting hours. On election day, both middle and high school students took part, casting their votes under the watchful eye of INE supervisors who helped ensure the entire process was fair and compliant with electoral protocols. After counting the ballots, the winning party was announced in a thrilling reveal, with students celebrating the results that will shape their council’s leadership for the year ahead.

“The electoral process undoubtedly provided students, both participants and voters, with meaningful, project-based learning about how democracy truly works,” concluded Peralta on the exercise. “I am confident this experience will enable them to apply values and skills in the future.”