Eduardo Mendez Post 2 11/6/2026

Elections Matter Group Presentation Reflection

After seeing the four group presentations about Elections Matter, I realized how much politics affects things we deal with every day. Before this project, whenever I thought about politics, I mostly thought about presidential elections, political parties, and all the arguments people have online. But after learning about the different topics, I started noticing how many things are connected to the government. Each group covered something different, but they all showed how elections can affect our communities and our future.

Group 1 The Electorate and the Election Process

Group 1 talked about the election process and why voting is important. I found this topic interesting because a lot of people our age are just becoming eligible to vote, and not everyone understands how the process works. They explained things like voter registration, how elections are organized, and the importance of knowing who you’re voting for.

Something I found important was the difference between presidential elections and local elections. I feel like people pay so much attention to presidential elections that they forget about the other positions being voted on. Local elections can affect things like schools, transportation, and decisions being made in our communities.

I also liked how this topic brought attention to younger voters. Sometimes people think their vote doesn’t matter, but when a lot of people decide not to vote, that can affect the results.

For feedback, I think Group 1 covered an important topic that everyone should learn about. I would’ve liked to see more examples of local elections here in Miami because those are the elections that many of us don’t pay much attention to. I also think showing the steps to register and vote would’ve been helpful for students who haven’t voted before.

Group 2 Education Policies

Group 2 covered education policies, and this was probably one of the topics I could relate to the most since I’m currently in college. They discussed how government decisions can affect schools, students, teachers, and the resources available for education.

One thing that stood out to me was how important school funding is. Not every school has the same resources, and I feel like that can affect how students perform academically. Things like having enough teachers, updated technology, and good learning environments can make a difference.

I also thought about financial aid and how much students depend on it to attend college. Without programs that help students pay for school, many people would probably have a harder time continuing their education.

Personally, I know how stressful balancing work and school can get. Sometimes you have exams, assignments, and work all on the same day, and it feels like there’s barely enough time to get everything done. That’s why I think colleges should continue offering flexible schedules and online classes.

As for feedback, I liked how this topic related to students and their futures. Something that could’ve made it more interesting would be discussing how education policies affect Miami Dade College students specifically. I think that would’ve made it easier for our class to connect with the information.

Group 3 Immigration Policies

Group 3 was my group, and we covered immigration politics. I was interested in this topic because immigration is something that affects a lot of families, especially here in Miami, where people come from so many different countries.

Our presentation covered immigration policies, different opinions people have about immigration, and organizations that help immigrants. We researched organizations like the Florida Immigrant Coalition and Americans for Immigrant Justice, which provide resources, legal assistance, and support to immigrant communities.

Something I learned while working on this project was how complicated immigration policies can be. Before researching, I didn’t realize how many different things were involved in immigration besides border security. Immigration laws can affect families, employment, education, and people trying to build a future in the United States.

I also found it interesting how differently people view immigration. Some people believe stricter enforcement is necessary, while others focus more on protecting immigrant families and making the immigration process easier. I think understanding why people have different opinions is important, even when we don’t agree with them.

Looking back at our presentation, I think we did a good job gathering information and finding statistics to support our topic. We also tried to make our slides interesting by adding pictures and information about different organizations. However, I feel like some of our slides had too much writing, and we could’ve explained certain things in a simpler way. We also could’ve included more real life examples instead of focusing mostly on information and statistics.

Overall, I enjoyed researching this topic because I learned things I didn’t know before, and it helped me understand how immigration policies affect different communities.

Group 4 Economy

Group 4 talked about the economy, which is something I feel almost everyone can relate to. They covered topics like inflation, the cost of living, employment, and how government decisions can affect people’s finances.

The part I found most interesting was the cost of living because it’s something we experience almost every day. Groceries, gas, rent, and car insurance can get expensive, especially when you’re working and trying to save money at the same time.

As someone who works while attending college, I understand how important it is to manage money. Sometimes you start adding up your expenses and realize how quickly a paycheck can disappear. I think that’s why the economy is such an important issue during elections.

I also liked the discussion about inflation because it’s something people constantly talk about, but not everyone understands how it works. I feel like people sometimes blame one politician for everything becoming expensive without understanding all the different factors involved.

For feedback, I thought Group 4 had a topic that was easy for everyone to relate to. I would’ve liked to see more comparisons between prices from a few years ago and prices today. For example, comparing rent, groceries, or wages over time would’ve helped show how much things have changed. I also think including more examples that affect college students would’ve made the presentation even more interesting.

Final Reflection

After learning about all four topics, I feel like I have a better understanding of why elections matter. Each group talked about something different, but all the topics connect in some way. The people we elect make decisions about education, immigration, and the economy, and those decisions can affect our lives.

I also realized that people have different opinions about politics because everyone has different experiences. Something that matters a lot to one person might not be as important to someone else, and I think that’s completely normal.

What I liked about this project was getting to learn about real issues from my classmates instead of just reading about them. Some of the information was familiar, but there were also things I hadn’t really thought about before.

Overall, I think this project helped me understand that politics isn’t just about choosing a president or supporting a political party. It’s about understanding what’s happening around us and how those decisions can affect our future. I feel like as we get older, it’s important to pay more attention to these things because eventually we’re the ones who have to deal with the results of those decisions.