Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 25/98) - They're off and running.

With the real politicians back at work this month in Ottawa's House of Commons and at the NWT legislative assembly, a group of their "peers" have spent the last two weeks gearing up for their shot at the big time.

Complete with campaign buttons, posters, glad-handing and preparations for that all important speech performance, more than 20 kids at William McDonald school are in the midst of election season at their school.

The prize?

Being chosen members of the school's student government.

"I don't think it (being a politician) is easy at all," says Grade 8 student and candidate Kelley Thompson.

"I can see they have a lot of pressure trying to make everyone happy all the time."

Fellow candidate Elizabeth Aiken says she hasn't found it difficult to approach her fellow students and ask for their votes.

"Most people are really nice to you," she says.

Readers should note the four young candidates chosen for this story had their names drawn at random.

Duncan Hamre says he's been campaigning full time since the school's election season began two weeks ago.

The brave candidates will speak before the whole school Monday. Secret ballot voting will take place Wednesday and the results announced at a dance Friday.

The school is split into four "Houses" and these students are vying to be elected to positions within them. After that, just like the NWT MLAs, they'll choose their executive at a retreat at the Yellowknife Inn in October.

Kirsten Kocik has a strategy to ensure her speech goes smoothly.

"I'm going to pretend everyone is in their underwear," she says with a grin.

As to issues, the candidates say they've been hearing about water quality in the school, the dress code, requests for longer dances, an idea to paint the school's lockers a different colour and other matters.