‘Empowering': Chicago students celebrate first time voting at ‘Parade to the Polls'

Chicago Votes’ annual “Parade to the Polls” brought high school students to the supersite at South State Street and West Adams Street to vote, with a focus on helping students of color participate in the 2026 Illinois general election and understand the power of their votes. Mayor Brandon Johnson joined students on a bus ride to the polling place. But the day’s most personal moments belonged to the young voters stepping into the process for the first time. “I feel amazing. Voting really does matter to me and my family,” said Hester Ouedraogo, a student at Baker College Prep. For Ouedraogo, casting a ballot carried significance beyond her own first election. “I come from a family full of immigrants who came to the United States looking for citizenship and opportunity, so I’m really happy to be able to be the first generation to vote,” she said. Chicago Votes said the two-day event, scheduled for Oct. 28 and 29, was designed to bring more than 1,000 eligible students from Chicago Public Schools and Noble Schools to the supersite. Organizers paired voting with music, art and nonpartisan support to help students feel prepared and welcome. The organization has held the initiative for more than a decade, helping young people research candidates and learn how to cast a ballot. For Jashun Lee-Hall, a Baker College Prep student, the experience opened a conversation that had not been common at home. He said his family did not talk much about voting while he was growing up. “Knowing that my voice matters really helps me out a lot,” Lee-Hall said. Kristopher Holiman, a first-time voter from Butler College Prep, said the opportunity left him thinking about Chicago’s future. “Being able to make a change for our city for the future gives me a good feeling, very good feeling to be able to do that,” he said. Johnson said he hoped students would leave with a stronger understanding of their influence. “They’re going to be able to experience their own power,” the mayor said. Educators accompanying the students described the trip as an extension of work happening in their schools. “This is empowering,” said Nichole Jefferson Fields, assistant dean of students at Butler College Prep. Jefferson Fields said Chicago Votes had helped students learn about voting and research candidates. She described that preparation as part of teaching young people how elections connect to decisions affecting their lives. Those connections were already on students’ minds as they waited to vote. “I do feel like my vote counts,” Ouedraogo said. “I feel like it helps with healthcare, public transportation.” She noted that students rely on public transportation to travel to school and return home, one example of how government decisions touch their everyday routines. Keyshawn Morrow, a first-time voter from Rauner College Prep, saw the election as an opportunity to act on his concerns. “I feel like we finally have a chance to do something about what’s going on,” he said. For Baker College Prep student Anaiya Butler, the first trip to the polls was the beginning of a habit she hopes to carry into adulthood. “I feel like it’s a great opportunity,” she said, “and I can’t wait to vote for the rest of my life moving forward.” body text here