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Seventh graders in Judy Dawley's social science classes are turning heads at the Thunder Bay Junior High with a politically charged project for all to see and learn from.

"We wanted to rev up excitement by putting things in the hall," she said.

The "things" Dawley's class made are about 140 triangular leaflets made out of card stock placed above their lockers that reveal a presidential candidate's stance on a certain political issue.

She said she has seen teachers, students, staff, parents and custodians looking at the project and that the response has been positive.

"It's been a pleasure to see people learning from what they've done," she said.

Each student chose a topic and researched the candidates position on it. Dawley said she was surprised to see the variety of issues the students picked. The project encompassed issues like the war in Iraq, No Child Left Behind, the draft, the use of medical marijuana, the death penalty, gun control, abortion, drilling for oil and many more.

Although students didn't have to pick an issue they liked, many of them did.

Emma O'Neil chose tax payments for seniors as her topic. She said she chose the topic because her grandmother has a lot of bills to pay and doesn't need taxes on top of things.

Molly Milstein chose the war in Iraq as the topic. She said Barack Obama's stance on the issue is that he thinks the war is a mistake.

"I chose this because I feel the war is a mistake," Milstein said.

Heidi Morrison chose abortion as her topic and supported John McCain's pro-life stance.

Dawley said that even though these issues can be polarizing the students can talk about them civilly and they have been respectful of each other's opinions.

She said because there is so much misinformation on the candidates the project was spawned by the question "Where do you go to get unfiltered information?" She said ProCon.org is the best source.

The Web site states "ProCon.org is a nonpartisan, nonprofit public charity whose mission is "promoting education, critical thinking and informed citizenship by presenting controversial issues in a straightforward, nonpartisan primary pro-con format."

The students used the Web site when they started their project mid-October during MEAP. Dawley said the students, who are part of the 7B Wolverine's team, put up their projects in their wing of the junior high last week.

Overall the seventh graders said they learned a lot, that the project was fun and they realized history will be made in this election.

"I didn't think I would be into the election this much," Jamie Murphy said. The topic she chose, bailing out the banks, was driven by the current economic situation.

Crystal Nelson can be reached via e-mail at cnelson@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5693.