VOTES

    In 1988, an idea was hatched by a history teacher named Jim Shea at Northfield Mt. Herman School (NMH) in Massachusetts. The idea emerged from a conversation he was having with a history class about the upcoming presidential election. That election, which pitted major party candidates George H.W. Bush and Michael Dukakis against one another, featured all the usual punditry, predictions and polls which have characterized elections in this country forever.  In Shea's class, however, a new question was raised: "Why aren't high school students polled for their preferences?"
    Shea, and a group of student volunteers, acted on this question. They conceived a program that would solicit participating high schools throughout the U.S. to poll their students and submit results to a central clearinghouse at Northfield Mt. Herman.  VOTES was born. VOTES, by the way, stands for Voting Opportunities for Teens in Every State.
     Results would be tabulated in the week leading up to the actual election and the results could later be compared to actual election results as well as to other pre-election polls conducted by major news outlets. Shea saw an opportunity to deepen his students' civic engagement as well as sharpen their skills in statistical analysis.
     A call went out to solicit participating schools. The NMH hope was for one public school and one private school from each state. (In that first presidential election year, they fell a bit short of their goal. Ever since, they have met the goal.)  Keep in mind this is well before the internet was developed, so to say "a call went out" means a combination of utilizing print journalism (e.g.: the journal of the National Council of the Social Studies, Independent School Magazine and Education Week) and word of mouth.
     The History Department chair at Gill St. Bernard's School heard of the program and signed on.  Dr. John Ripton, then department chair, saw an opportunity for more than a straw poll of GSB students. He envisioned GSB students learning more about the election process.  Together with a group of student volunteers, he set into motion a model that has been replicated at GSB every four years since 1988.
    At GSB, students take on the roles of presidential and vice-presidential candidates. Candidate roles include non-major party candidates such as the Green Party or the Libertarian Party. There are also student campaign managers. Events such as debates, town hall meetings and press conferences are also held (all roles taken by students) for the benefit of the larger Upper School student population. In this way, all the Upper School students learn more about the candidates and the party positions so when it's election day (at GSB), students are informed.
    Not all schools participating in VOTES involve students as thoroughly as happens at GSB. In fact, the prevailing model is simply that students vote on their election day. The GSB model, which involves deep immersion in the election process, is certainly a commitment of time and resources but the yield is significant. Students, and faculty as well, are made aware of issues and party policies in a way unlikely to otherwise happen. 
     This process of truly immersing our students into the election process has caught the eye of others.  GSB candidates have gone to other schools and conducted mock presidential debates as part of school assembly programs. Local press like the Bernardsville News have regularly covered our VOTES program. Even the Christian Science Monitor picked up the VOTES story and featured GSB's approach in the 2000 election. The two part story appeared on November 7, 2000 and November 14, 2000.
     Since 1988, GSB has been one of 35 high schools that have participated in each of the 7 previous VOTES programs. We are now in our 8th consecutive program.  This year, History Department chair Dr. Leo Janas has teamed with faculty member Christine Chan to oversee the program. Four candidates (Republican, Democratic, Libertarian & Green parties) and staffs are making their positions known. Voting is occurring in advance of the November 1 due date to submit results to Northfield Mt. Herman School. 
     And this year, for the first time, a new element has been added to the electioneering at GSB. Each of the parties has put together a campaign advertisement. As someone very interested in video as a learning tool, I was happy to see the addition of these promotional videos. They're worth a look:

 

Keeping Your Data Safe

    Recently, Yahoo announced it had been hacked. Personal profile information from roughly 500 million people had been compromised. Perhaps most disturbing, Yahoo announced that the hack of this data had occurred about two years earlier without their knowledge.  Account holders were advised to change their passwords.
     I've had an account with Yahoo for many years and have good reason to believe my account was hacked.  I changed my password. Additionally, last year, one of my credit cards was apparently hacked. A purchase that I had not authorized and that originated in a foreign country was charged to my account.  I cleared up the discrepancy and was issued a new card.
     Data breaches are an enormous problem. They are in the news all too regularly. Rather than a listing of some of the more newsworthy examples, why not CLICK HERE for a vivid infographic?
     On a walk through our Upper School library, I was handed the current issue (November, 2016) of Consumer Reports.  The cover story, about digital data, is titled "How to Protect Your Privacy." I think it's a nicely done piece that has advice worth our time and attention.  In fact, 66 specific strategies are offered to take control of your data.  The strategies address password management, device usage, encryption, home WiFi networks and Google settings among other topics.
     I'd like to highlight a few of these topics in order to remind all of us that we live a thoroughly digital world where data protection, data value and data control matter to all of us.  We may not want to deal with the complexities of phishing nets and secure hypertext transfer protocols (https://), but we'd be well served to master a basic understanding of data security and embrace safe computing practices.  The good news is that a little common sense goes a long way, so using your good judgment as you surf the web or create a new password will make a difference in securing your data.
     Let's start with passwords. I can safely assume no one likes the idea of remembering multiple passwords for various accounts.  I would also guess that most readers are easily in the double-digits in terms of password-protected accounts.  In part because of my job, I keep track of over 50 passwords now. Crazy, right?
     A good password is a random mix of letters, numbers and symbols. ABC123 is not a good password.  &kw5lJD9%/2?*r8/ is an excellent password. But the problem is immediately obvious; who can remember that random example?
     There are a few strategies that can help. One is to create a string of random words that form a nonsense sentence. The trick, of course, is to make it memorable. But this strategy can only work with sites that do not demand numerals or symbols in the password.  Another approach; utilize a password manager.  Password manager sites generate strong passwords for you. The only password you'll need to remember is the password to access your password manager account. There are a number of password account managers available such as LastPass or 1Password. Fees may apply.
     Another strategy for password management is to create a document with accounts, user names and passwords listed and then secure that particular document with a password. Storing the document in password-protected cloud storage (e.g.: OneDrive, DropBox) means that double authentication is needed to access the listing. This solution offers 24/7 accessibility and reasonable security. You'll need to memorize two passwords to gain access to all your passwords.
     Even with strong passwords, devices like phones or laptops can be vulnerable to data theft.  Let's take laptops, for instance.  Using your laptop at home is no more risky than using any other type of computer, but laptops are made to travel and that creates a set of unique risks.  In public WiFi  settings, for instance, data thieves may attempt to link to your laptop via the local wireless network. Stop them cold by activating your system's firewall via your computer's Security settings.

A quick and easy security measure: cover your computer's camera lens when not in use.

     Another quick, common sense fix when out and about is to limit file sharing. When at home or in another known environment, file sharing can be a convenience. In public settings, you should disable this function in the Sharing settings.
     Encryption is another powerful tool to thwart the efforts of data hackers. Encryption refers to the ability of software to scramble data so that it is not accessible to anyone without proper permission.  Computer files that are of particular importance or value might benefit from encryption. Encrypting specific files on a Mac is done through Disk Utility.  Windows users will need a free app download such as Gnu Privacy Guard.
     Don't neglect to check your phone for data liabilities.  Modern phones have built in encryption for data transfers. Models running older operating systems can usually be adjusted in Settings. While you're considering your phone's exposure to illegal activity, don't forget to set an entry password and a password for your carrier's account.  One last item; check your phone bill monthly to be sure account charges are accurate.
     The Consumer Reports article has many more tips, 66 in all. It's worth a look.  And of course there are many other sources, in print and online, to help you through the process of creating a safer, more reliable digital experience for yourself. It's a bit of a pain to be sure, but it's also worth the time. Exposing your data to theft or impersonation is simply not worth the risk and you should be finding ways to minimize the chances of stolen data.