A new how-to-caucus event taught a few of the nation’s youngest constituents about the occasion that has all eyes on Iowa once every four years.

The University of Iowa Pentacrest Museums put on “Hawkus,” a mock-caucus to teach third- through sixth-graders about the caucus process. Hawkus was held in the Old Capitol on Jan. 22 and 29, each event hosting around 20 kids caucusing for superheroes.

The kids participated in a mock Republican caucus, with a ballot vote for the winning superhero, and a mock Democratic caucus, in which kids stood with their candidate of choice and eliminated candidates until two were left standing.

“When we were thinking about planning a program like this, we were thinking about what it would be like to be a kid in the state of Iowa during this time,” UI Museums programming coordinator Julia DeSpain said. “Because we are first in the nation in the primary/caucus process, kids are really inundated with posters and commercials.”

The superheroes running for president were Superman, Batgirl, Wonder Woman, Captain America, and Spiderman. DeSpain and four student staff members represented each superhero’s campaign manager.

DeSpain said that much like the regular caucus, the kids didn’t actually see the candidates, that is, no one dressed up as superheroes, but the campaign managers gave speeches on behalf of their candidate. Their speeches promised to provide things like longer lunches and recesses, more science and math classes, and even video games at school.

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The kids learned more than just how the caucus works, they talked about the requirements of being president and other aspects of the election process.

“Voter turnout in the country is lower than we all would like it to be, so it’s partially to get kids interested in our civic process earlier but also just to bring light to why we do this,” DeSpain said. “Hopefully, kids will go home and start a lively dialogue with their families and be interested in the process from here on out.”

The kids had a chance to think about what sort of issues would be important to them if they were running for president. They created campaign posters for themselves, decorated with their personal values.

Local fifth-grader Jack Paxton adorned his poster with trees and chemical vials.

“Plants and the environment are getting harmed by big factories,” he said. “I really think school needs longer science class, too.”

His sister, Grace Paxton, wrote “Vote for Grace” and drew symbols for several issues she thinks are important.