In the fall of 2025, five sections of seventh grade students at Princeton Day School created a Middle School Candy Election to find the best candy bar. Each student was assigned a role in a candy campaign, newspaper, or government. They set out to learn about the United States Government and elections and to share their knowledge with the rest of the middle school through the mock election. Five campaigns jockeyed to earn votes; they raised funds from donors which allowed them to advertise in the hallways, at school meetings, and online. Government officials regulated the election and created the voting infrastructure. Newspapers reported on the campaigns and latest events, and conducted and shared polling. At the end, students shared the election results with school, reflected on their experiences, and compared their election to real-world elections.
Teacher Reflection
I was lucky enough to attend the High Tech High PBL Design Camp, which is where I crafted this project. I enjoyed the freedom that this project gave students, allowing them to use their interests and strengths to help them benefit their team or group. The winning campaign focused on using fun activities to engage voters, which created a positive environment around the entire project. The election also required a lot of communication between groups and classes—often motivating students to collaborate during their study hall and other unstructured time. Questions and engagement from other grade levels were frequent and enthusiastic, contributing to the depth of the project.
—Jason Haber
Student Reflection
It almost felt real. It was cool getting to have the experience of actually thinking about our audience and all the little things.
—Charlotte
This project really changed my way of thinking about ways to work with different people and being open minded. It changed my thinking because I learned to look at everybody’s perspective and I had to be willing to change my ideas.
—Jennifer
