SYCAMORE – In a race between a tortoise and a hare, everyone knows the tortoise wins – at least according to the fable.

But when the race is a political campaign, all bets are off.

The Midwest Museum of Natural History and TAILS Humane Society have partnered to present an educational program for elementary schoolchildren patterned after the presidential election. Each organization put up a live animal “candidate” – Hercules the sulcata tortoise from the museum and Athena the rabbit from TAILS – who will campaign at local schools.