This article makes a case for using The West Wing’s Santos/Vinick presidential election as a way to simulate election politics in civics and government courses. The series provides a behind-the-scenes view of the political decisions made by both fictional campaigns throughout the course of the primary and general elections. Teachers can use the content contained within the storyline to make connections to aspects of the formal curriculum found in typical survey courses and creating opportunities for authentic learning by allowing students to place abstract content into a practical context. As the 2012 presidential election unfolded, first through the Republican primary and then the general election, social studies teachers across the United States tweaked their syllabi to include election-related projects and assignments. Presidential elections are one of the few high-profile political events in the United States that captures the attention of both political scientists and the general public, while creating an ideal opportunity for authentic learning that allows teachers to apply the formal curriculum to a real-life context for students (Haas & Laughlin, 2002). Since presidential elections only occur every four years, however, teachers are often unable to offer this

perform and sign popular songs, to be voted upon by an audience made up mostly of members of the local deaf community. Not only was I tasked with serving as the ‘Cowboy ’ for a performance of The Village People’s song Y.M.C.A., wearing boots two sizes too large, I had to learn AND perform a song with faculty members in American Sign Language (ASL). Armed with an instructional video and encouraging support from faculty members and students, I stepped out of my comfort zone as the Dean and moved into a ‘student ’ role. With practice, I was able to perform and show off the new skills I learned to an enthusiastic audience. By learning this new skill and taking part in this event, I experienced first-hand the support, appreciation, and love that our community feels towards our School through the services provided by our faculty, staff, and students. Welcome to the