Graphic by Evelyn Kim ’25/The Choate News
By Hiyab Mebrahtu ’27, Reporter
On September 10, the highly-anticipated debate between presidential candidates Donald Trump P’00 and Kamala Harris took place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. To get the Choate community engaged with the election, cabinet members of the Choate Young Democrats, Choate Young Republicans, and Choate Political Union organized a debate watch party in the Student Activities Center (SAC). Filled with thoughtful conversations and enthusiastic reactions to critical moments, the event gave students the opportunity to watch and enjoy the debate together.
Sofia Schmidt ’25, a Young Democrats cabinet member, felt that the event was a success. “The event was both educational and fun, which I think is why so many students decided to attend,” Schmidt said. “Displaying the debate to a large group was a great way to educate the audience and possibly entice passersby or SAC dwellers.”
Attendees thought it was a great way to spark conversation about the election. Harper Marsden-Uren ’26 said that she “had a wonderful time” and “loved hearing various different people have different reactions.” Celeste Shattuck ’25 added, “It was a great way to get people politically involved on campus and … it was a great atmosphere to be in.”
However, planning the event also came with several challenges. Since the debate took place from 9:00 to 10:30 p.m., students were required to get special permission on the Reach app to stay in the SAC past curfew. “Beyond getting permission to hold an event after curfew, one difficulty we faced was turning away students who did not have permission to be out past curfew,” Schmidt said. As a result, many students didn’t get the chance to attend the watch party, and only 50 students were allowed to stay after 9:30 p.m. “There were actually a few people that begged to stay past curfew even though they had not reached, which I suppose is a testament to how entertaining the debate was,” she added.
In a school setting, some may discourage conversations regarding politics to avoid potential conflicts; however, many students are now looking to embrace political dialogue and hear new perspectives. “We’re so lucky to be at a school like Choate, where there are so many passionate and intellectual people, and getting to hear people’s different views … is exactly what we should be doing,” Marsden-Uren said.
Schmidt believes the watch party accomplished its goal of encouraging more people to engage with the election. “The watch party served its purpose: generating interest and excitement about the upcoming election in the Choate community. I wouldn’t change anything about the way we planned it,” Schmidt said.
