According to social studies teacher Jill Merkle, all freshman classes participated in suffrage bingo in C350 Nov. 6 to discuss the midterm elections that day.

“It’s a bingo board where essentially they’re filling out voting rights activists from our history and trying to get a bingo with it,” Merkle said.

Merkle said to prepare for the game, students learned about the activists.  

“They each researched, the day before, one of the voting rights activists that’s on the bingo board and then they are sharing the information with their classmates,” Merkle said.

Freshman Renee McSherry said she feels she gained a new sense of gratitude for the right to vote after completing the activity.  

“I think it is very important for people to understand how many people fought for what they can have now,” McSherry said.

Merkle said as many Americans gathered to vote at the polls during the school day, the activity helped students acknowledge those who fought for suffrage to make it possible.

“Voting is a really big deal and a lot of people have fought and died for voting and for the right to vote,” Merkle said. “You can see that on each of the boards, all these different people fought for that, and it’s something that we take for granted.”

Freshman Tenzin Gyaldatsang said the activity emphasized the impact history has on the present day.   

“United States citizens should learn about their history because it’s important,” Gyaldatsang said.