Over two dozen Prince George High School students went hands-on with the democratic election process during last fall’s general election as part of a special collaborative program between the school and the Prince George County Registrar’s Office. 

SEE MORE PHOTOS: PGCPS on Flickr

On Tuesday, March 10, 2026, these students were recognized by Prince George High School librarians, Mrs. Allison Heath and Ms. Ashley Hayes, along with building principal Mr. Matt McAllister, for their time serving at polling places across Prince George County during the November 2025 General Election as part of the Election Day Page Program, receiving certificates and refreshments during a short, morning-side ceremony. 

In partnership with the local registrar’s office, the Election Day Page Program gives students the opportunity to either volunteer for a half-day or work a full, paid shift (only those aged 18) at polling precincts during Election Day, helping support electoral efforts and staff at these sites. 

This year, 25 students participated in the program, which was born of a collective desire to encourage students to engage in democracy in their community and was supported by local election officials. 

“Emily Vinson, Prince George County’s Deputy Director of Elections, reached out to us because we wanted to get the kids to register to vote,” Mrs. Heath explained. “Emily and other staff from the county registrar’s office hosted a two-day event where our seniors who were eligible to vote could register. It was a big deal during the 2024 Presidential Election. After that, they wanted to see if the kids wanted to sign up to do the polling.”

Connecting to the classroom, the Election Day Page Program served as a real-world tie-in to the government topics students would learn about each year, while also showing students a pathway to get involved in the democratic process in their backyard early on in their lives.

With a couple of years until the next presidential election and even further out for the Virginia gubernatorial race, Prince George High School’s government teachers have been encouraging students to consider getting involved in local elections in their communities once they register to vote. 

^{Prince George High School principal Mr. Matt McAllister discusses the importance of civic engagement during the Election Day Page Program recognition ceremony on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at Prince George High School. (PGCPS Photo)}

“In our government classes and beyond, the federal and state governments are discussed, but we also impress upon students the importance of participating in elections at the local level, as well,” Mr. McAllister shared. “The local level is where you are going to see the greatest impacts once you go into the world, like your local governing bodies, constitutional officers, and your local representatives at the state level in Richmond. They’re the ones that are going to hear the voice and make decisions based on your perspectives, and what is impacting you and your local community.”

For the students, the experience at the polls went beyond a few hours of volunteerism, offering an opportunity to connect with their community. 

“While I was there, my friends and I were helping out at the polling place, and we came across an older African-American lady,” Prince George High School student Tamia Roots recalled. “She came up to us, and she was happy to see us all there, and it made her cry a little. She told us that when she was growing up, African-Americans didn’t have many chances in life, and now she sees young people volunteering on Election Day, which was a big deal to her and meant a lot to me. It was a good experience.”

“We learned a lot and saw new things. It was a good experience, and I definitely recommend it,” Roots closed.

For those visiting the polls during the recent election, new faces greeting them voters at the doors alongside election workers who are mainstays of their precincts and community were received positively. 

“My dad votes at the Bland precinct, and he’s been voting for years,” Mrs. Heath shared. “He commented that it’s usually the same people working each year but, this past year, he said there were two young men who opened the door for him and were very nice to him, and that it was the first time he saw young people working the polls. He said it was nice to see these young people, and I told him it was our students. He said it was nice to see some new faces.”

The following students were recognized on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, and will be celebrated again during the Prince George County School Board’s student awards and recognitions night on Monday, March 16, 2026:

• Tamia Roots
• Kaylan Wilson
• Jada Lewis
• Hunter Waff
• Deladem Potakey
• Leilani Lucas
• Marquise Waller
• Ashley Herrera
• Alexa Marsteller
• Cailah Gainey
• Logan McPhearson
• Jacob Harris
• Marletta DaCosta
• Danielle Sims
• Taliyah Jones
• Jaheri White
• Remy Espitia–Almodovar
• Tamia Durham
• Ayanna Rivera-Gaines
• Lacie Taylor
• Isabella Zipp
• Jamalri Herring
• Evelyn Pablo Martinez
• Leilani Thompson
• Abigail Warren