Western Pa. high schools honored for voter registration efforts

Eight local schools are among 42 statewide honored with the Governor’s Civic Engagement Award for their efforts to register students to vote during the 2019-20 school year.

Brentwood, City Charter School, Deer Lakes, Elizabeth Forward, Franklin Regional, Kiski Area, Leechburg Area and Mt. Pleasant Area were among nearly 160 Pennsylvania schools that registered a total of 4,035 students to vote this year, officials with the Pennsylvania Department of State said.

Brentwood, Leechburg and Mt. Pleasant received gold level honors for registering at least 85% of students eligible to vote. City Charter, Deer Lakes, Elizabeth Forward, Franklin Regional and Kiski Area received silver level honors for registering more than 64% of eligible students.

PA Virtual Charter School, which won a sliver award, became the first statewide virtual school to earn the award.

“Congratulations to the schools and individual students who won this prestigious award. By engaging and registering our youngest eligible voters, they are strengthening the future of our democracy. I am very pleased to see the growing popularity of this 3-year-old program that encourages peer-to-peer civic education and participation as poll workers and voters,” Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar said.