On Feb. 21, 2023, A group of Kelvyn Park High School seniors walk down Kostner Avenue to an early polling location at Kilbourn Park as part of a Chicago Votes “Parade to the Polls” initiative to register students to vote and cast their ballot. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)

A group of students at Kelvyn Park High School became registered and first-time voters as they marched their way to the polls Tuesday to vote in Chicago’s municipal election.

Seniors at the high school walked along Kostner Avenue from their school in the Hermosa neighborhood to an early voting location at Kilbourn Park.

“I was walking here, I was kind of getting nervous because I thought it was gonna be a lot harder and complicated than what it actually was,” said Orien Rodríguez, a student at Kelvyn Park High School. “When we got to the voting place and I started to register, it was all kind of easy.”

Prior to voting, juniors and seniors at the school were able to hear from aldermanic and police district council candidates during a forum organized by students and Chicago Votes, a nonprofit organization encouraging young Chicagoans to vote.

The forum had candidates answering questions ranging from lighthearted topics like which movie and TV characters they’d compare themselves to, to questions about improving safety, gun violence and addressing gentrification in the Hermosa community.

The questions reflected the issues students cared about most when voting.

“Gentrification affects a lot of people and I’ve seen it happen to others. My grandmother got kicked out of her house because she couldn’t afford it anymore and she’s getting older,” said Nevaeh Wade, a student at Kelvyn Park High School. “That was like one thing that I was really passionate about."

“Another thing was just a lot of safety opportunities, especially Hermosa Park. I used to go there all the time with my dad, but now I can’t even walk over there, and it’s the closest park to me,” said Wade.

WTTW News spent the morning with the students and captured their first march to the polls.

Aldermanic candidates for the 31st Ward and Police District Council candidates for the 25th District take the stage for a Chicago Votes forum at Kelvyn Park High School on Feb. 21, 2023. From left to right, Esteban Burgoa, Felix Cardona Jr., Angelica P. Green, Edgar "Edek" Esparza and Saúl Arellano. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News) Esteban Burgoa, a City Council candidate for the 31st Ward, addresses a question on how he will avoid the effects of gentrification if elected during a Chicago Votes forum at Kelvyn Park High School on Feb. 21, 2023. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News) Saúl Arellano, a Police District Council candidate for the 25th District, responds to a question about which movie or TV character is most similar to themselves, answering the actor Denzel Washington “because he’s an African American actor who pushes the voices of other people and uplifts them with him. And for me, that's what we plan to do with this platform to uplift every single member of the community.” (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News) Police District Council candidates for the 25th District are prompted with a question on what plans they have to increase safety in Chicago’s schools if elected. From left to right, Angelica P. Green, Edgar “Edek” Esparza and Saúl Arellano. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News) On Feb. 21, 2023, A group of Kelvyn Park High School seniors walk down Kostner Avenue to an early polling location at Kilbourn Park as part of a Chicago Votes “Parade to the Polls” initiative to register students to vote and cast their ballot. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News) On Feb. 21, 2023, A group of Kelvyn Park High School seniors walk down Kostner Avenue to an early polling location at Kilbourn Park as part of a Chicago Votes “Parade to the Polls” initiative to register students to vote and cast their ballot. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News) A group of Kelvyn Park High School seniors arrive at an early polling location at Kilbourn Park to register to vote and cast their ballot as part of Chicago Votes’ “Parade to the Polls” initiative on Feb. 21, 2023. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News) Registered voters in the 31st Ward and first-time voters from Kelvyn Park High School line up outside the Kilbourn Park polling station in anticipation to cast their ballots on Feb. 21, 2023. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News) Two seniors from Kelvyn Park High School fill out their ballots for the Feb. 28 Chicago municipal election behind voting booths at the Kilbourn Park polling station. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News) Two seniors from Kelvyn Park High School register to vote at the Kilbourn Park polling station on Feb. 21, 2023. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News) Two voting booths are stationed a few feet away from each other inside the Kilbourn Park polling station. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News) A senior from Kelvyn Park High School fills out their ballot for the Feb. 28 Chicago municipal election behind a voting booth at the Kilbourn Park polling station. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)