Leechburg Area students worked the polls thanks to innovative program

Leechburg Area students Rocco Vigna, 17, and Nevin Steele, 17, spent election day serving their community.

The two juniors from West Leechburg were the first students to participate in a program that allows students living in Westmoreland County to work at polling places. The boys spent half a day at the West Leechburg Fire Hall in an assembly line taking down voters’ names, checking registrations and assisting with voting machines. Since the boys are under 18, they were only able to work from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. rather than a full day.

The two were able to help at the polls because of more than two years of work by West Leechburg resident Pauline Bish, 81. Bish has lived in the borough for about 60 years and has worked at the West Leechburg voting polls for more than 30 years. She said the May 20 primary was her last election as a poll worker.

“I wanted to leave something behind,” Bish said.

She has stuck with the work for so long because she loves the people.

“What I’ve enjoyed watching is the young people voting for the first time,” Bish said. “When they come in, they have their ID waiting. They cannot wait to show that they’re 18 and have a driver’s license. They’re so proud they’re old enough and becoming adults and get to vote for the first time. I really love that.”

She started the youth program to introduce the newest generation to the voting process and polling places.

“The students are our foundation,” Bish said.

Her love for her alma mater Leechburg Area High School only grew as her son and then two grandsons graduated from the district. Bish has volunteered through a few community programs and has helped the members of a few graduating classes earn community service hours.

“I push for education,” Bish said. “This program is another opportunity for education.”

Steele and Vigna decided to take the jobs after they received an email in April from their guidance counselor asking if any students would be interested in helping at the polls. Vigna said their work would count toward the students’ required volunteer hours. Every Leechburg Area student is required to earn 15 hours of in-school community service and 15 hours of out-of-school service.

“It was being able to help out our community and doing good for the community,” Vigna said about taking the opportunity to work.

Steele said he took the job for the same reason.

“We want to help the community as much as we can,” he said. “I also wanted to understand more about politics.”

Corrin Linkes, Leechburg Area middle and high school counselor, was able to coordinate with Bish and Westmoreland County Elections Office Coordinator Theresa Adamczyk to offer the program to students living in West Leechburg. Only Leechburg Area students who are residents of West Leechburg in Westmoreland County are able to work at polling places in the county.

Linkes said some Leechburg Area students living in Armstrong County reached out with interest in working, but were unable to, due to their residence. Linkes was not aware of any coordination with the Armstrong County Elections Office to make the program available for students living in Leechburg and Gilpin.

“Polly (Bish) was the centerpiece of it all. She was really determined to make this opportunity happen for the students,” Linkes said.

Linkes called the program a great learning opportunity.

“I’d love to see it continue,” she said.

The boys used their down time during the work day to ask the other poll workers about the voting process and general information about the polls.

“They were very enthusiastic about learning our process and they picked it up quickly,” said West Leechburg Judge of Elections Mike Warcholak.

Warcholak said it was the first time the polling place had ever taken on student workers. Not knowing what to expect, Warcholak was happy with how positive the boys were when approaching the work.

“They were a big help to us,” Warcholak said. “It was nice to see young people their age take such an interest in community affairs. I was impressed with them.”

Vigna said being able to get a closer look at voter machines piqued his interest about voting next year.

“Seeing the machine kind of made me curious about what the next page was that we don’t get to see,” he said.

Warcholak said he was glad the boys were able to see the inner working of the voting process and were able to see that every vote counts.

“They now know there’s much more to an election than just showing up to cast your ballot,” Warcholak said.

Poll workers are usually in for a 16-hour day when they sign up to work. Warcholak said West Leechburg always has enough workers for election day, but he knows other places struggle to get the needed help.

“I’ve been blessed with having enough — even more than enough. I’ve had to tell people they need to wait because we’re full,” he said.

The boys were able to walk away from the day with more knowledge, they said.

“It was a fun experience,” Steele said.

“Nevin and I are really good friends,” Vigna said. “It just felt like we were hanging out with other adults there.”