As relief efforts continue in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy, some Knox County students are giving back.

Friday, Bearden Middle schoolers got to wear a hat to school for $2.
That donation goes to the Red Cross to help victims along the northeast coast.

A Bearden Middle art teacher is a native New Yorker, and helped organize the fundraiser.

They're not 18 years old yet, but some local kids got the chance to vote for the first time, while getting a lesson in democracy.

Okay, maybe their votes didn't actually count, but on Monday first graders at West Hills Elementary School participated in mock election.

Teachers at this school spent the last week teaching their students about the privacy of voting and how to cast a ballot. Each student had their own voter ID card and a secret ballot.

One first grader Maxwell Collins said learning about the process was fun.

A rezoning proposal has been published for some elementary schools in West Knox County.

"We've really tried to setup a process where we can listen to parents and listen to the community prior to bringing a proposal to the Board of Education," said Knox County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jim McIntyre.  "It's important to note that the proposal we've created around grandfathering, where rising fifth graders and their siblings will be able to apply to stay at their current school, came directly out of the community meetings and emails we've received from parents."