Cedar Key high and middle school students cast their votes for their own city commissioners this Tuesday, October 11 during their lunch break in the school cafeteria, culminating the month-long process of planning and campaigning. The entire voting process, complete with the experienced guidance and presence of City Clerk Frances Hodges and Commissioner Sue Colson, precisely mimicked the regular City of Cedar Key elections, complete with pre-registration necessities, official ballots, voting booths, and vote ballot box. Students walked away with "My City" buttons, "I voted" stickers, enriched experience, and smiles on their faces. This Cedar Key School Mock City Commission project, initiated by Colson, was quickly embraced by Student Government Association (SGA) Co-sponsors Sue Penney and Kathy Hudson and their fifteen-member organization, led by President Claire Brown. The project`s purposes are to assure that all sixth through twelfth grade students experience the thorough voting process and understand that they can directly, positively, impact their community. In September, SGA representatives visited all middle and high school classes explaining the importance of being involved in the voting process and explaining the project`s details. Students became excited and energetically involved: fifteen applications for staff positions were submitted; eleven students chose to run for commission seats. Also in September, SGA representatives processed the staff applications; they "hired" City Clerk Emily Colson, Chief of Police Tyler Anderson, Fire Chief Austin Pope, Public Works Director Kevin Carswell, Photographer Lauren Bartholemy, and Reporter Savannah Howard. On October 13, Emily Colson, Anderson, Pope, and Carswell will shadow their counterparts City Clerk Hodges, Chief of Police Sandlin, Fire Chief Robinson, and Public Works Director Wilson, respectively.
Students who ran and campaigned for Mock City Commission seats included: Sarah Bartholemey, Darrius Berger, Tiqvah Cahours, Taylor Davision, Dajah Donaldson, Taryn Epperson, Stephanie Hathcox, Patrick Jackson, Whitney Ness, Mikayla Pope, and Kalei Wilson. Successfully elected were: Sarah Bartholemy, Taylor Davison, Taryn Epperson, Patrick Jackson, and Mikayla Pope. 
Blaire Brown (left) and Lauren Bartholemey (with camera)
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These students will orchestrate a mock commission meeting on Friday, October 21 at 6PM. The agenda will focus on solving problems directly related to Cedar Key, many of which are familiar with islanders. Students, Cedar Key School staff, and community members are encouraged to attend this demonstration of student leadership. Do turn out and support and congratulate them; show them that this community cares. SGA President Claire Brown found the entire experience rewarding; she reported having "learned a lot from this; lots more goes into this than people know, many rules, much important information." "I was shocked," she said. Co-sponsor Penney envisions the student commissioners actively functioning in their positions throughout the school year; Co-sponsor Hudson, when asked if the project would continue next year and after looking about the student-filled cafeteria, says, "How could we not?"
SGA members contribute much to the Cedar Key community, some activities include: gathering items and creating military care packages; in the Adopt-a-Highway program, students and sponsors cleaning up a portion of State Road 24 four times a year; operating a holiday canned goods food drive for the Food Pantry. 
(left to right) Kathy Hudson (SGA co-sponsor), Frances Hodges (Cedar Key city clerk), Sue Colson (Cedar Key city commissioner) and Sue Penney (SGA co-sponsor).
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