Allan Appel Photo
Kids TV reporter Beam presses Douglass on whom she voted for.
The results of the first exit polls Tuesday came from four energetic 8‑to-10-year olds, members of Newhallville’s Kids TV Network, at their neighborhood’s polling place at the Lincoln-Bassett School.
Kid TV reporters Service, Jahsai, Watson, and Beam with some of their results.
The kids, Aneissa Beam, Kareena Service, Jahsai Johnson, and Spirite Watson, were engaged in learning the speaking and listening skills to be reporters as well as future voting citizens as well as being researchers into what Newhallville residents want to see develop in their neighborhood. They are taking part in a project called Kids TV Network as part of a summer camp, under the tutelage of Harris & Tucker School and One City Initiative’s Kim Harris.
Taking turns being behind the camera and in front, the kids followed a script they devised, asking exiting voters two questions: What would they like to see in Newhallville in the months and years ahead? And: Whom did you vote for?
The kids quickly learned that many people like to keep the secret ballot, well, secret. Of about eight exiting voters the young reporters interviewed, only three would reveal their choice. It turned out Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ned Lamont had a significant single-digit lead, two to one, over challenger Joe Ganim.
What interested the kids more was their respondents’ ideas for Newhallville improvements, which they dutifully marked on a circular chart.
Melinda Douglass told reporter Aneissa Beam that while Newhallville has improved over the years, she would like to see more of it, especially new opportunities and programs for kids.
When Aneissa asked her whom she voted for, Douglass was quite explicit: “I’d like not to say.”
Reporter Spirite Watson interviewing Sheila Gatison.
Next up was 10-year-old interviewer Karrena Service, who goes to King-Robinson Inter-District Magnet School. Kim Harris set the video camera up and got Jahsai Johnson behind it.
He enjoys being behind the camera more than in front of it, Harris said. She also was clear that she was not going to let him hide.
“Make your ‘V,’” Harris coached Karrena, meaning to form that triangle of intimacy — interviewer, interviewee, and that micorphone in between. Get close enough to your interviewee.
“No, don’t begin. Not yet,” the coaching continued. “Make them feel comfortable,” Harris said.
Kareena’s interviewee, longtime Newhallville resident Jane Swint, offered what she wants to see in Newhallville: “More things for the kids to do.”
“May I ask you who you voted for?” Kareena continued.
“No, you may not,” Swint replied, but good-naturedly, and then went on her way.
Kareena went to the chart the kids had been keeeping and added a check mark to “programs for kids.” That was becoming the most called-for item by interviewees.
While the focus Tuesday was on catching people to talk to as they exited voting, the reporters had nabbed 31 people already last week at a National Night Out event. They also put in a stint in the morning at Lincoln-Bassett before going to Edgewood Park for some tennis. By lunch they had spoken to 17 interviewees. That makes a total of 38 people so. The goal for project is 100, Harris said.
Spirite and Aneissa debated whether 10-year-olds should vote; of course, they agreed, 8‑year-olds shouldn’t. Nor should 5‑year olds, who would just mark and draw all over the ballots, they agreed.
Meanwhile Kareena nabbed one voter, who also called for more teachers and more programs for young people so they wouldn’t be on the street. This person also was happy to tell Kareena she had voted for Joe Ganim for governor on the Democratic line.
Kareena followed up with the next question: “Why?”
“I like his ideas,” said the interviewee, another longtime Newhallville resident, Jean Crockett. “He’s been through a lot and he deserves a second chance.”
“Like God said: forgiveness,” Kareena responded.
“And I like what he’s doing in Bridgeport.”
Other top answers for neighborhood goals included “clean streets,” followed by more “black-owned businesses,” and then “affordable housing.”
Kid reporter Service interviews Jean Crockett.
“They don’t know it yet,” said Harris during a break in the flow of interviewees,“but they’re going to present the results in front of the [Newhallville] management team when it reconvenes in September.”
“If they get this,” Harris said of the TV interviewing, “these are marketable skills. They can go out and film someone’s event, a wedding. You don’t necessarily need a degree. This makes you marketable. Most of our kids don’t get these skills.”
Then some new folks began to come down the steps from the polling place, and the kids hustled to set up their equipment, recall the script of their interview, and not forget to form their ‘V’.