Local high schools emphasize voter registration

BLOUNTVILLE — Two Tri-Cities public high schools, Sullivan East High near Bluff City and Tennessee High in Bristol, have won state accolades for getting all eligible students registered to vote. Another school, West Ridge High in Blountville, held Civic Engagement Week this week. The principal there said it is not just an effort to match the accomplishments of the other two, but to emphasize the importance of registering and voting to students. In addition, a Sullivan County commissioner and former county school board member said Kingsport City Schools also has expressed an interest in further emphasizing voter registration. Kingsport City Schools Assistant Superintendent of Administration and KCS spokesman Andy True said that school system also is working on voter registration and related issues. A KCS spokesman confirmed that interest. Now's a hot time for voter registration for all eligible to vote, since the 2026 election cycle includes local, state and federal primaries and general elections on May 5, Aug. 4 and Nov. 3, respectively. 100% CLUB MEMBERS Sullivan East High School in Sullivan County Schools and Tennessee High in Bristol Tennessee Schools have earned the Gold Level Anne Dallas Dudley Award. The Tennessee Secretary of State's Office has bestowed the award to both schools for achieving a 100% voter registration rate among eligible students. The honor was presented Friday, March 13, at both schools by Tre Hargett, Tennessee's secretary of state. Sullivan East previously earned the Silver Level Award for the past two years and improved to Gold Status during this election cycle. Tennessee High made the Gold Level for the third year in a row. During the Thursday, March 12, Sullivan County Commission meeting, Commissioner Andrew Cross of Bristol announced the Tennessee High award and invited commissioners to attend the presentation that morning, after the Sullivan East one. Commissioner Mark Ireson of Colonial Heights outed Cross as a government teacher at the school who spearheaded the voter registration project, but Cross emphasized that all three government teachers at the city school helped. Ireson, a former county school board member, also shared that an effort is underway to get Dobyns-Bennett High School, part of Kingsport City Schools, and Sullivan County's West Ridge High School up to the gold level. Cross thanked the commissioners who attended the event at Tennessee High. Gold Level status means that 100% of eligible students — those who are 18 or who will turn 18 by the next election — are registered to vote, according to a Friday, March 13, news release from Sullivan East High Principal Andy Hare. "As part of the recognition, the Secretary of State's office presented the school with a commemorative plaque and personalized certificates for student ambassadors," the Hare release said. East students recognized during the presentation included senior Vuong Ngo and junior Carlos Contreras. Hare also was recognized. "I am so proud of this accomplishment by our students," Hare said. "I am very thankful to Secretary of State Hargett and (Sullivan County) Administrator of Elections Jason Booher for providing this challenge to our students. The right to vote is the cornerstone of democracy, and the responsibility it carries is to be respected and cherished. These young people are well aware of the responsibility they now have with this hallowed right that they have now earned." Additional speakers at the ceremony included Jason Booher, Sullivan County administrator of elections, and state Rep. John Crawford, R-Kingsport. The award is named for Anne Dallas Dudley, a prominent Tennessee suffragist and a key leader in the movement that led to the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which granted women the right to vote. The Anne Dallas Dudley Award program encourages civic engagement among young voters. All Tennessee public and private high schools, as well as homeschool associations, are eligible to participate. Under Tennessee law, students may register to vote if they are 18 years old, or 17 years old and will turn 18 by the next election. In 2026, elections include local and state primaries and general elections for offices ranging from governor and U.S. house to county and municipal positions. CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, WEST RIDGE STYLE In an in-person interview Tuesday, West Ridge Principal George Laoo said the Dudley award is a worthy one and that he is hopeful West Ridge eventually meets the 100% threshold needed to win the award. "The goal there is to get 100% of students eligible to vote registered," Laoo said. "Our focus is heavy on civic engagement." He said the goal of West Ridge's Civic Engagement Week, March 16-20, is to help students understand the importance of registering to vote and then voting in a democracy. Laoo said that of 224 West Ridge students eligible to be registered by March 31, about half are registered. That means it is unlikely the school would meet a Friday deadline to get the Dudley award this school year. "We do want to make them (students) aware and help anybody that is struggling with the process," Laoo said. As part of that effort, veterans came to West Ridge during the week to share their stories of service and tell the students what it means to them when people participate in democracy by voting. Then, Laoo said, school officials made a concerted effort to get information to students about how to register to vote by paper application or online. "Our goal is not necessarily awards. It's about creating an awareness of civic duties," Laoo said. Eric Rowe, a teacher at Sullivan County's alternative school located at the West Ridge Annex on the campus of Sullivan Central Middle School, is a former Army veteran. He was supposed to speak Tuesday, but that was postponed because of the late start in the school day. Laoo, a former Marine Corps sergeant, and retired Air Force Master Sgt. Don Shawver also planned to address West Ridge students this week. Shawver is the former Air Force Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps instructor at West Ridge and Sullivan Central High. KINGSPORT NUMBERS True said that numbers from Dobyns-Bennett High School, which includes D-B EXCEL, indicate 237 of 268 who were eligible to vote registered to vote, which would make D-B eligible for a silver level award from the state. He said the numbers are a "significant increase from past years." "The government teacher at D-B has been spearheading a voter registration drive," True said in an email interview. "The overall goal has been to provide information and the opportunity for eligible students to register to vote," True said. "It's a committed focus to enable as many Dobyns-Bennett students as possible to fully participate in democracy." For a vertical reel video of West Ridge's Laoo talking about voter registration and voting for students, go to the Kingsport Times News Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=search&v=4515347278745028&external_log_id=0c494237-33b0-4918-a1a1-9b037fbb5604&q=timesnews%20facebook%20Laoo or the paper's Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/kingsport_times_news/?hl=en.