Olentangy plans mock forum

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With more than six days away left until the general election, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton will debate at Olentangy High School, 675 Lewis Center Road, Wednesday evening.

Though the real Republican and Democratic presidential nominees will be campaigning today in Wisconsin and Florida, respectively, Olentangy students Colton Sparvero and Melat Eskender will take their place in a mock-style forum at 6:30 p.m. in the high school’s theater.

The mock debate is done in conjunction between Olentangy Local School District and the Delaware County League of Women Voters, which contacted OHS government department in May. Plans were laid out on the last day of the 2015 to 2016 school year to form the Public Affairs Club, according to Trisha Bishop, president of the league.

“The students have done an incredible job of studying topics and rehearsing,” over the past six weeks, Bishop said.

About 13 students are involved with the mock debate with five students on the Clinton team and three on the Trump team. Hayden Toftner will represent Democrat vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine, while Mitchell Cordon is Robby Mook, Clinton’s campaign manager, with Jimmy Campbell and Harshitha Madhave as a grassroots organizer and press coordinator, respectively.

On the other hand, Brian Haller and Preston Bonomo will represent Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence and Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway.

Jaydon Hill, Will McGraw and Jackson Hise are moderators of the debate. Sydney Mullett and Audri McCaulley are on the media committee, with media affiliation still to be determined, Bishop said.

During the debate, each candidate will receive nine questions that night: three on a topic they chose, three on a topic their opponent chose and three totally unknown topics chosen by the moderators. A timer will be used, which is typical, Bishop said.

“Students will experience an authentic feeling of the structure and process of a presidential debate,” a district spokesman said.

By Brandon Klein

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Brandon Klein can be reached at 740-413-0904 or on Twitter at @brandoneklein.

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