How To Win a High School Election : Advice and Ideas from Over 1,000 High School Seniors [Paperback]

Jeff Marx (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 1999

A book of advice and ideas from over 1,000 high school Seniors about HOW TO WIN A HIGH SCHOOL ELECTION. Via email, over 1,000 high school Seniors contributed input for this book: about things they observed that worked or didn't work, things that were memorable or funny, mistakes they made or watched someone else make, ideas for platforms, issues, promises, posters, campaign speeches, advice on how to speak in front of peers without appearing nervous, having the right attitude, etc.

Copy their ideas! Avoid their mistakes! See what worked (and what didn't work) for them!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up-A solid and entertaining offering. In a natural, unaffected tone, Marx identifies those qualities most likely to lead to success in a school election. They include being sincere, talking (and listening) to people, and making a great speech (short, funny, and well prepared). There is no vague, starry-eyed advice here; this is a real primer in practical politics. The author readily admits, for instance, that most students are apathetic about elections and he tells candidates how to turn this fact to their advantage. Much of the text consists of direct quotes from students and they may be the most useful part of the book-certainly they are the most amusing. Well organized enough so that readers can pick and choose sections to use, this is an accessible book for anyone interested in running for a school office.
Richard Luzer, Fair Haven Union High School, VT
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Marx surveyed literally thousands of students around the country (and also acquired a few responses from European ones), then compiled the advice verbatim to help readers learn effective campaign strategies and avoid mistakes when running for school office. Threaded throughout the single-paragraph excerpts is the affirming message that anyone, even the most unlikely candidate, can win with the right effort and attitude. Marx's introduction, which offers an entertaining rationale for writing the book, flows with the same inviting, conversational language as the back-to-back student comments that comprise the bulk of the text. With useful suggestions on everything from writing memorable speeches to garnering support from unusual sources, this provides much for interested students, especially those intimidated by or hesitant about getting involved. Roger Leslie

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 180 pages
• Publisher: Jeff Marx; 1 edition (June 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966782402
• ISBN-13: 978-0966782400
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,726,272 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you are a kid, have a kid, or know a kid -- buy this book, November 6, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: How To Win a High School Election : Advice and Ideas from Over 1,000 High School Seniors (Paperback)

In high school, my feeling was always that elections were popularity contests and that I wouldn't stand a chance, even though I was a lot more qualified than the people who did win. As we find out from Jeff Marx's HOW TO WIN A HIGH SCHOOL ELECTION, victory is within reach for anyone with the courage and the dedication to try.

With common sense tips and loads of great anecdotes supplied by (who else?) thousands of teenagers across America, Marx takes the reader, step by step, through the process of running and winning a great campaign. He reveals winning strategies for how to deal with the competition, with the voters, and with the faculty of the school.

I won't give any of his advice away. Read the book for yourself, or give it to your favorite teenager -- it's a must.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I WON BY A LANDSLIDE, April 7, 2000

By 

Mark (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How To Win a High School Election : Advice and Ideas from Over 1,000 High School Seniors (Paperback)

I'm not a jock, cheerleader, or very popular for that matter of fact, but with this book I went on to win the position of vice-president in my Junior class. I was stumped at first. I had no clue what i was going to do for a speech nevermind campaigning. When i read this book, the ideas in the book were great. Not only that, but they gave me even more ideas. I won the election by a landslide and i recommend it to anyone who feels stumped or that they do not stand a chance.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Win Elections or Just More Friends, October 5, 2000

By 

Dan Poynter "Author-Publisher-Speaker" (Santa Barbara, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How To Win a High School Election : Advice and Ideas from Over 1,000 High School Seniors (Paperback)

This book tells you what has worked and what has not. Jeff Marx polled student body officers to find how they won their positions. Then he categorized the stories into this helpful guide. This book will not just help you win the election; it will help you win friends. Elections are popularity contests.

Need Jeff's help in a hurry? Amazon ships in 24 hours; specify overnight shipping and you can have it in two days.

As the author of 113 books (including revisions and foreign-language editions) and over 500 magazine articles, I am very impressed with the way Jeff wrote and published this valuable book. END