Spice Valley Middle School students were so enthusiastic about this week's mock elections that they went the extra mile to learn about their country.

And teacher Dawnelle Walker rewarded them for their hard work on Wednesday with an inauguration for the winning "political party''.

Seventy candidates, representing two fictitious political parties, squared off in the school's assembly hall and more than 300 students and teachers turned out to vote.

Voters also came from as far away as Prospect, Elliott and Purvis primary schools.

Candidates had to research the biographies of local politicians and their parties and keep abreast of current events and their impact on Bermuda.

At the S2 class campaign presentations in the assembly hall, Rebekah Cabral of HELP (Heal Everyone Liberate People) party presented a platform intended to heal and liberate.

The opposition, LIVE (Liberate Innovate Validate Everybody), party countered HELP with a platform that included raising the minimum driving age to 18 and setting up separate cricket and soccer fields.

LIVE triumphed at the polls with 160 votes to HELP's 132. A handful of ballots were deemed invalid.

LIVE's new leader, Marilyn Cupidore, was inaugurated at 2 p.m. on Wednesday after being tipped to replace its election leader.

Miss Cabral's party called for renewed emphasis on reducing crime, improving health care, making the roads safe, and increasing the level of bus service throughout the Island.

There was loud applause when candidates called for textbooks that students could take home and up-to-date computers and other supplies along with two teachers in each classroom.

Candidates called for voters to "help people not only for now but for the future''.

LIVE also called for new and improved hotels and a reduction in the amount of pollution in the Island.

Candidates used the catchy slogans of "If we want tourists to come here, we need to encourage them'' and "Vote for LIVE, we can get the job done''.

Ms Walker said before doing research for the election her students did not recognise or even know the name of the longest-serving Premier of Bermuda, Sir John Swan.

"Now they know who they are and what their ministries are,'' she proudly pointed out. "They are now keeping up with events. The most exciting thing is they are now bringing me newspaper clippings.'' Ms Walker is encouraged by the response of her students and the educational value of the exercise.

"I believe that at the end of the day,'' she explained, "the most important goal of education is not to learn what is taught, it is to be inspired to learn on one's own.''