Election Matters: What five presentations taught me ; Sophia Avendano

 As we began the Election Matter project , I thought it would be another group assignment but i was wrong it taught me a lot more then just a simple presentations.Watching all five presentations changed that.Each one looked at different piece of the same big question: how do the decisions made at the ballot box shape our everyday lives ? Group 1 started off setting the foundation for everything that followed. They explained who actually makes up the electors and how the election process works, and that gave the rest of us the context we needed.I really enjoyed how they began with a basic understanding how voting works but seeing it laid step by step made it clear how many pieces have to line up for an election to run. It was a smart choice to go first , because every later topic connects back to it. Group 2 education was a topic I was very interested in because it is my life as of right now being a student at Mdc. They provided how policy decisions affect financial aid , school funding, and access to opportunity . Hearing about their financial aid interview made it feel real instead of abstract . It reminded me that policy isn't just words in a bill.It decides what someone's path through school looks like .Group 3 explained about the economy and broke it down in a way that makes sense . They tied economic policy to things we see every day, like prices ,jobs and what it costs to live on our own . I walked away understanding why the economy is such a major issue for so many voters and why candidates talk about it constantly . Group 4 was ours and I believe this was a very heavy topic due to the fact that students and parents come to this country to have a better education and life but without being legal they can receive support . I explained how college resources may help with student cost and everyone else explained when immigration began, how it affects college students as well. This was a very debated topic and it was hard to maintain neutral instead of emotional or one sided . Our project mangers did a very good job ending our presentation , very organized with everything . Helped us outline each topic that we needed to express . Their presentation tied topics together and brought full circle . They had a great critique to perform better as a presenter . Having reminders, check-in and clear deadlines along the way kept everyone on track , and I think the final result reflects that leadership.Three things stood out across all five presentations. Our groups used very good visuals , brochures and flyers to make their points . Second, the research. Using government sources and real interviews made each presentation feel credible and gave us something to trust. Third, teamwork. You could tell which groups had practiced together, because their transitions were smooth and everyone sounded confident in their own section.I also noticed how important it is to keep learning even after the slides are finished. Our professor reminded us to follow current developments on our topics right up until presentation day, and I understand why. Elections move fast, and a good speaker stays ready to add new information out loud or update the slides when something important happens. I thought of elections as something that happens every few years. After these five presentations, I see them as the system that decides how schools are funded, how the economy is managed, who can come to this country and how, and who gets a say in all of it. No single topic tells the whole story, but together they show how connected everything is.I'm also glad this project required us to complete civic actions on our own. Learning about democracy is one thing, but being a part in it makes it real. It shows  me to see myself as someone with a consciousness  in these decisions instead of someone watching from the sidelines.I'm proud of how our class showed up for this project. Every group brought something different, and every presentation taught me something new. I came into this thinking about a grade, and I'm leaving thinking about my role as a voter and a citizen. If there's one takeaway, it's that being informed is the first step toward making a difference, and it's a step every one of us can take. Everyone I believe did a really good job explaining everything and helped me learn a lot of new information .