Autumn was an important time in the lives of sixth graders: it was the time for the election of the school’s student council. Four classes competed with each other: maths and physics, history, music, and of course class D, who were dubbed the \u2018melting pot\u2019.
\nEach class nominated a presidential candidate and campaigned for a full week. The four classes competed to see who could make life better and more exciting for students over the next year.
\nThe campaign sometimes included more populistic attempts, just like in real politics: handing out sweets, funny quizzes, or promising a school disco.
\nThis one-week campaign period, held in the third week of October each year, was called the Student Days. And as the week drew to a close, the whole school was turned upside down.
\nThe biggest and most important question, of course, was always who should run as student president for each class. A close second came in the question of what the class campaign should look like. After all, that\u2019s what the whole campaign week was all about.” “\u201cBut, Pedro, more than two thirds of the class voted for you.\u201d Garcia looked stern.
\n\u201cBut I don’t want to be a candidate for student president, Professor!\u201d
\n\u201cCome on, Pedro! You have the gift of the gab!\u201d Shouted one of the girls from the back bench.
\n\u201cYeah, I for one would not dare to stand up in front of more than five people!\u201d Shouted a chubby boy who was the smartest student in the class, and almost unable to complete an answer because it gave him severe stage fright.
\n\u201cThat\u2019s enough, kids! This class is turning into a shouting match… Everyone zip it up!\u201d The unusual phrase worked and everyone fell silent. \u201cBack to you, Pedro, there must be a reason why you\u2019re protesting so much. What’s wrong with running for student presidency?\u201d
\n\u201cI don’t want to, that’s all. In my opinion it\u2019s not for me, that\u2019s all.\u201d
\n\u201cAre you afraid?\u201d Garcia looked deep into Pedro’s eyes.
\n\u201cNo!\u201d
\n\u201cWell then?\u201d
\nPedro was thinking. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a stupid idea… if everyone wanted him to do it!
\n\u201cOkay…\u201d
\n\u201cHooray!\u201d The class voted loudly in favour.” “\u201cTell me, why didn’t you want to run for presidency, Pedro?\u201d Asked Garcia after the Monday afternoon literature class.
\n\u201cWell… my mum told me that my dad was a politician, too. And he left us when I was very young. That’s why I don’t want to be a politician.\u201d
\n\u201cPedro, it’s all just for fun, you know that. Fun is the most important part of it for your classmates too.\u201d
\n\u201cAnd they want to win, of course…\u201d Said Pedro, in a worried voice, \u201cand I don’t know if I can win for them.\u201d
\n\u201cMaybe not for them, but more like with them!\u201d Garcia raised his eyebrows.
\n\u201cI’m sure you are right, Professor,\u201d Pedro agreed.
\n\u201cSo now I only have one question: why didn’t you do your homework last week?\u201d
\n\u201cOh, that poem about friendship… my apologies, Professor, but I’ve been so busy I haven’t had time to write it yet.\u201d
\n\u201cHave it ready by next week. Your last poem was really good as well. Well, hey, my bike and my wife are waiting. See you tomorrow!\u201d” “On the way home, Alfredo thought out loud:
\n\u201cOnly a week to go until the Student Days!\u201d On Mondays they were the last to finish, so only he and Pedro went home together. Pedro was going to literature class and Alfredo attended a series of lectures on Economics for Children.
\n\u201cYou are so lucky to be nominated for president of your class! I wanted to run for my class, but I was voted out. They\u2019re nominating that airhead, Gino.\u201d
\n\u201cThe one with the earrings?\u201d
\n\u201cYeah. They said he was the funniest. The other day in the dining room, he knocked the tray out of my hand, that was absolutely \u2018hilarious\u2019. They also voted to make the theme of our campaign The Wild West, because Gino’s dad can get one of those rodeo bulls, you know, the ones you sit on the back of and it throws you all over the place. What will be your theme?\u201d
\n\u201cThe Wild West?\u201d
\n\u201cWell,\u201d Pedro thought, – \u201cthat\u2019s a little old fashioned…\u201d
\n\u201cWe don’t know what to do yet.\u201d
\n\u201cBut you only have a week left! How will you prepare the programmes?\u201d Alfredo asked in surprise.
\n\u201cI have no idea.\u201d Pedro sighed.” “\u201cWe’re the only ones left without a theme, kids, and that\u2019s no good!\u201d Began Garcia at the class teacher\u2019s lesson the following day. \u201cClass A has The Wild West, Class B will be scientists, and Class C will turn their classroom into a theatre for next week. But what about us? You have not been able to agree for weeks. Pedro, any ideas?\u201d
\n\u201cI’ve been thinking a lot since yesterday… what if we were rappers?\u201d
\n\u201cAnd what exactly do rappers do?\u201d Garcia laughed.
\n\u201cWell, they rap,\u201d responded Pedro.
\nYou could hear a pin drop in the classroom. It was not really clear whether they liked the idea or not.
\n\u201cProfessor, that sounds awesome!\u201d A thin girl’s voice boomed across the room.
\n\u201cReally cool!\u201d Echoed increasingly around the room.
\n\u201cProfessor! I’ve even come up with a slogan!\u201d Shouted Patrick, who was the naughtiest kid in the whole class, but liked by everyone.
\n\u201cWell, drop it then, P-Dogg!\u201d Laughed Garcia now.
\n\u201cFlex the lyrics, they feel so good, vote for Pedro, fresh from the hood!\u201d
\nPedro chuckled with relief: he had won a battle without even having to fight.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1038,"template":"","class_list":["post-1040","story","type-story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n