The Center for Civic Education, through a grant provided by the National Endowment
for the Humanities, is pleased to announce a three-week NEH Summer Institute ...
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$1,000 Summer Scholarship Competition
Click here to Learn More!
The 2010 American Civic Education Teacher Awards application is now available to download. Three awards are given annually to elementary and secondary teachers of civics, government, and related fields who have demonstrated special expertise and enthusiasm in motivating students to learn about the U.S. Congress, the Constitution, and public policy. ACETA winners receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to participate in an educational program that includes observing committee hearings in Congress, meeting members of Congress and other key officials, and visiting sites such as the National Archives and the U.S. Supreme Court. Teachers can submit their applications to one of the three sponsoring organizations: Center for Civic Education, Center on Congress at Indiana University, and National Education Association. Applications are due February 16, 2010. More>>
The Center for Civic Education, in collaboration with the American Association
of School Administrators, is proud to offer free lesson plans for Grades K-12 in observance of Constitution Day and Citizenship Day on September 17, the
anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. These lessons
have been adapted from the Center's We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution
and Foundations of Democracy curricular materials. Two new lesson plans for high
school students have been added, which explore the executive branch and Abraham
Lincoln's constitutional legacy. Audio recordings of selected Constitution Day
lessons are also available. Go to http://constitutionday.civiced.org
to download these free resources today.
In Memoriam: Senator Edward M. Kennedy
The Center for Civic Education joins the nation and the world in mourning the passing of Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Senator Kennedy was not only a strong advocate for education in general but for civic education in particular. He was a firm believer that a strong democracy needs informed, engaged, and enlightened citizens and served as a member of the National Bicentennial Commission on the Constitution and Bill of Rights, which provided funding to initiate the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution program. He supported the Education for Democracy Act, which funds the Center's We the People Programs, the School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program, and the Civitas International Programs, as well as programs of other organizations. His commitment to education for democracy was not a recent passion but spanned many decades of public service and greatly assisted our work. In 1988 the Center recruited him to participate in a film by the Disney Channel on the importance of teachers to our democracy, and in that same year we invited him to be the keynote speaker at the awards banquet for the first We the People academic competition. Most recently, he joined with Senator Lamar Alexander to support the Improving the Teaching and Learning of American History and Civics Act of 2009 (S. 659). The legislation reauthorizes the Education for Democracy Act programs and other civic education programs. It also amends the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to conduct more frequent academic assessments of U.S. history and civics. We were honored some years ago when he accepted the Center's Civitas Award for his outstanding contributions to civic education. While appreciating his rich legacy, we will sorely miss his leadership in improving the conditions that allow constitutional democracy to flourish around the world.
The California Project Citizen State Showcase took place on June 5, bringing twenty portfolios and three groups of students to the state capitol. Granada Hills Charter High School presented their portfolio, which dealt with the surveillance of public areas. Herbert Hoover Middle School looked at the causes of litter in their community and remedies to the problem. Fourth-grade students from Foulks Ranch Elementary School addressed the environmental impacts of plastic bags and the possibility of advocating for a plastic bag ban within the City of Elk Grove. Thanks to the California Channel, which filmed the showcase and publicized these outstanding students' efforts to become active, engaged citizens.
For the 2009 Project Citizen National Showcase, students prepared four-panel portfolios and documentation binders chronicling their work to identify and research a problem in their community, evaluate alternative policies, and present their proposed public policy and an action plan to have the policy enacted.
Students' public policy portfolios were selected to represent their states at the national level. Members of state legislatures, legislative staff, and educators acted as evaluators for the showcase. Each portfolio was evaluated three times. Achievement-level results were based on the average score of the three rounds of portfolio evaluation that took place during the National Showcase. More>>
Frontiers International chapters from Tennessee and Wisconsin captured the top
prizes in a We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution competition in Birmingham,
Ala., on July 11. Youth from Nashville, Tenn., and Milwaukee, Wis., won the high
school and middle school divisions, respectively, at the competition, which tested
their knowledge of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
More>>
The Center lost a dear friend of many years on June 20. William G. (Bill) Baker
was one of the stalwarts of civic education in Indiana and was an important part
of the We the People program from its conception. Bill and his wife Jane have
also been my close, personal friends for three decades. Nanette and I and the
entire Center family mourn his passing but remain dedicated to upholding the
traditions of integrity and excellence he represented.
We invite all of Bill's many friends to honor Bill and help perpetuate his memory
by posting their memories and thoughts about him on this site.
Washington, D.C. - After three days of simulated congressional
hearings, during which students were required to apply constitutional
principles and historical facts to contemporary situations, the class
from East High School of Denver, Colorado, has emerged as the national
champion in the 22nd annual We the People: The Citizen and the
Constitution National Finals.
Vestavia Hills High School of Vestavia Hills, Alabama, and Amador
Valley High School of Pleasanton, California, took second and third
place, respectively, in the competition on the U.S. Constitution and
Bill of Rights.
East High School also captured the Lincoln Award for scoring the
highest on the question about President Abraham Lincoln and his
constitutional legacy. The question was added to this year's
competition to commemorate the bicentennial of the 16th president's
birth.
More>>
In honor of the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth, the Center is offering
a downloadable eight-page lesson and companion website for high school students
titled "
What Was Abraham Lincoln's Legacy to American Constitutionalism and Citizenship?
"
The lesson, written by John J. Patrick, Professor Emeritus of Education at Indiana
University, supplements the We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution text.
The lesson and its companion website,
Lincoln.civiced.org, traces the rise of
Lincoln from his humble beginnings to the presidency. It also examines Lincoln's
ideas and decisions regarding slavery and the use of presidential power to preserve
the Federal Union during the Civil War. The lesson was made possible by a grant
from the Motorola Foundation. Watch a video about the lesson by clicking
here.
A unique opportunity for middle-grade and high school teachers and community-youth-organization leaders to take part in a professional development institute featuring We the People:Project Citizen, one of the country's foremost civic education programs.
The institute will use Project Citizen curricular materials as the primary base of instruction to strengthen the civic component of service learning.The materials are designed to foster active participation in a process-oriented curriculum that teaches students how to monitor and influence public policy in their communities. Each participant will receive a classroom set of Project Citizen texts as well as additional materials on public policy
Over Presidents' Day weekend, February 13-16, teams of middle school teachers from
across the country participated in a training seminar for the We the People Initiative
for High-Needs Students. The seminar provided the teachers with content expertise and
interactive methods in the We the People curriculum. In addition, each school team was
linked with an experienced We the People mentor teacher who will encourage, support,
and assist the team throughout the academic year.
The We the People Initiative for High-Needs Students is a comprehensive outreach
effort to address the needs of schools in the United States with significant numbers
of high-needs students. Although the We the People Programs are currently available
to every elementary and secondary school that wishes to participate, the initiative
is a focused effort to reach schools that serve high percentages of socioeconomically
disadvantaged students and those experiencing attendance or truancy problems. The
goal of this long-term project is to provide program assistance to schools in all
fifty states at all three grade levels.
The World We Want, a feature film that documents the stories of Project Citizen students
in eight countries, captured the audience award at AFI FEST 2008 in Los Angeles. The film
had its world premiere before a full house at the Mann 6 Chinese Theater in Hollywood on
Saturday, November 8. The World We Want was one of 150 films shown during the eleven-day
festival, selected from 4,000 entries submitted to the American Film Institute.
More>>
The Center for Civic Education is proud to announce its newest audio series: the Conversations on
Civics Podcast. Conversations on Civics features interviews, speeches, lectures, and presentations
by teachers, students, and scholars from around the world who are committed to democracy, the rule
of law, and civic education. The series will occasionally include full-length versions of interviews
that appear in edited format in the Education for Democracy Podcast.
The Conversations on Civics Podcast is available through the Center's Multimedia page, iTunes,
Podcast Alley, or Odeo. Download this month's episode. Subscribe to the podcast.
Show your support for the Conversations on Civics Podcast by posting a review on the show's
homepage or on iTunes, Podcast Alley, or Odeo. To write a review, please click on one of the
following links:
The Center for Civic Education was recently awarded a grant from the Motorola Foundation to create high school lessons to commemorate the 2009 bicentennial of President Abraham Lincoln's birth. What Was Abraham Lincoln's Legacy to American Constitutionalism and Citizenship? will supplement the Center's We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution, and will reach high school students nationwide. The supplement will be available on the Center's website in January 2009.
[more]
The Center for Civic Education proudly announces the launch of the new
We the People companion website at wtpcompanion.civiced.org.
The website is designed to be used alongside the new We the People:
The Citizen & the Constitution
Level 3 text for high school students. Features include an overview of
the student edition, the preface, and the introduction; the full text
of all unit and lesson purposes; terms with definitions; the glossary;
biographies; links to Supreme Court cases; links to the full text of
primary sources; an annotated bibliography; links to specially selected
websites that illuminate concepts mentioned in the student text; and
multimedia.
Additional features are being added frequently, so be sure to visit the
We the People companion website at wtpcompanion.civiced.org
often for the latest dynamic We the People content. If you have any
suggestions about the companion website, please email Mark Gage, the Center's editorial
director.
The Center for Civic Education, in collaboration with the American
Association of School Administrators, is offering four new lesson plans
for Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, September 17. The free,
downloadable lessons are for students in kindergarten and grades 1,
1-2, and 9-12. Eleven proven lesson plans for grades K-12 are available at constitutionday.civiced.org.
These lessons have been
adapted from the Center's We the People: The Citizen
& the Constitution, Foundations of
Democracy, and Law in a Free Society
curricular materials. Audio recordings of selected Constitution Day
lessons are also available.
For the 2008 We the People: Project Citizen National Showcase, students prepared four-panel
portfolios and documentation binders chronicling the steps they took to identify and research
a problem in their community, their evaluation of alternative policies, their proposed public
policy, and an action plan formulated to have their policy enacted.
Students' public policy portfolios were selected to represent their states at the national
level. Members of state legislatures, legislative staff, and educators serve as evaluators
for the showcase. Each portfolio was evaluated three times. Achievement level results are
based on the average score of the three rounds of portfolio evaluation during the National
Showcase.
A recent climate study shows that civic education programs can have a
positive impact on student learning. The study assessed the effect of
the Center's School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program on
students at Ritter Elementary School in Pennsylvania's Allentown
School District. The research found a positive correlation between
implementation of the program and higher achievement levels on state
standardized testing, better student-faculty relations, and a more
cohesive sense of community. Read more about the study.
The Morning Call
reports on the Allentown School District winning the prestigious Compass Award
for its exemplary work in civic education.
A Morning Call editorial touts the benefits
of civic education programs for students in Pennsylvania's Allentown School
District. Philadelphia Inquirercolumnist Chris Satullo writes about Ritter Elementary School's success in "Civics Lessons
Take the Spotlight."
The Center for Civic Education is proud to announce the Education for Democracy Podcast,
a monthly audio series devoted to promoting an enlightened and responsible citizenry committed
to democratic principles. The podcast tells the stories of students and teachers throughout the
world engaged in making their communities better places; learning about government, law, and
democracy; and participating in the public policymaking process. This month we discuss the 12th
World Congress on Civic Education, held this year in Morocco in the cities of Casablanca and Ifrane.
Available through the Center
Multimedia
page, iTunes
, or through Podcast Alley.
Download this month's episode.
Subscribe to the podcast.
Show your support for the Education for Democracy Podcast by posting
a review on iTunes or Podcast Alley. To write a review, please click on one
of the following links:
NEW ORLEANS - Cyber bullying, park restoration, animal control, childhood obesity,
and community and school safety are among the issues addressed by student public
policy proposals at the 2008 We the People: Project Citizen National Showcase.
The showcase, cosponsored by the Center for Civic Education and the National
Conference of State Legislatures, is held in conjunction with NCSL's Legislative
Summit in New Orleans, July 22-26.
[more]
Months of study and hard-won victories at the congressional district and state levels
ended this week for more than 1,200 high school students representing 50 states and the
Northern Mariana Islands in the 21st annual We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution
National Finals, a competition on the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. After three
days of simulated congressional hearings, the class from East High School of Denver,
Colorado, emerged as the national champion. Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for
Government and International Studies of Richmond, Virginia, and Grant High School of
Portland, Oregon, took second and third place, respectively.
[more]
The Center for Civic Education proudly announces the publication of the newly
revised Level 3 student edition of We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution,
a civics text recommended for grades 10�12, available for the 2008�09 school year.
The revised text enhances student understanding of American constitutional
representative democracy with lessons on Congress, the executive branch, the
Supreme Court, federalism, and the role of the United States in the international
system. It contains additional cooperative learning activities in the form of expanded
"What Do You Think?" and "Critical Thinking" exercises.
Click here
for a sample lesson. The We the People companion website for students features
lesson purposes, terms and concepts to understand, biographies, the complete glossary,
and an annotated bibliography. The website also contains links to Supreme Court cases
and opinions, primary sources, relevant websites, videos, and podcasts. Click
here to
visit the companion website.
A limited number of free sets are available in each congressional district every year.
To inquire about the availability of the free sets, please contact your
district coordinator.
To purchase a set, email sales@civiced.org or click
here.
The American Civic Education Teacher Awards recognize teachers for their exemplary work
preparing young people to become informed and engaged citizens. This year's recipients
are Cheryl Cook-Kallio of Irvington High School in Fremont, California; Julie Kuhnhein
of Highlands High School in Fort Thomas, Kentucky; and Sally Broughton of Monforton
Elementary School in Bozeman, Montana.
[More]
Evergreen High School students work with the Washington State
Legislature and Governor Chris Gregoire on the passage of a bill to
require more civic learning in the classroom. The students from Patti
McMaster's We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution class already
knew how to effect public policy change because of their earlier
participation in Project Citizen. Ted McConnell, director of the
Campaign to Promote Civic Education, writes about the students' efforts
to increase classroom time spent on Washington state government,
economics, and politics...[More]
In a new study, conducted by RMC Research Corporation,
We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution students made greater
gains than comparison students in overall civic knowledge and in the
areas of (1) core values and principles of democracy, (2) constitutional
limits on governmental institutions, and (3) rights and responsibilities
of citizens. Full report available December, 2007.
A 2007 study conducted by RMC Research Corporation of
We the People: Project Citizen students found statistically significantly
greater gains among participants than comparison students in their knowledge
of public policy. Project Citizen participants also demonstrated superior
writing ability in articulating, researching, and advocating policy solutions
in essays addressing public policy problems.
For the full report,
please click
here.
Director, Center on Congress at Indiana University
Former congressman Lee Hamilton writes about the importance of engaging the nation's youth
in the political process. Although presidential campaigns may attract young people as volunteers,
participants in local and state political systems are getting older.
"Our system depends for its vitality on a continuous stream of young people getting involved in
it, and not just in presidential election years," writes Hamilton. "It's not simply the mechanics
of politics that benefits from energy, new blood and fresh perspectives, it's democracy itself."
[more >>]
Three Teachers Receive National Award for Civic Education Excellence
Three teachers from California, Illinois and Tennessee are the
recipients of the 2007 American Civic Education Teacher Awards,
recognizing their exemplary work preparing young people to become
informed and engaged citizens. Selected in a nationwide search,
the 2007 ACETA winners are Mary Ellen Daneels of Community High
School in West Chicago, Ill.; Barbara Simpson Ector of Cleveland
Middle School in Cleveland, Tenn., and Kevin Fox of Arcadia High
School in Arcadia, Calif. The educators were presented their awards
Friday, October 5, at the We the People: Project Citizen national
conference before 450 civic educators.
Click here to access a video about last year's ACETA award winners.
Empowering a New Generation for Democracy: The International Project Citizen Showcase
More than 250 young people from 31 countries gathered in Washington, D.C., July 15-17 to
showcase a remarkable international civic education program called Project Citizen.
Empowering a New Generation for Democracy: The International Project Citizen Showcase
was the culmination of months of work by students to create public policy proposals
addressing problems in their communities, from Vancouver, Washington, to Yogyakarta,
Indonesia. For more information, please click
here.
The Center's Response to the Release of the 2006 NAEP Civics Report Card
The release of the NAEP Civics Report Card is a
confirmation of the neglect that many professionals in the field
of civic education have known about for many years: that the vast
majority of our young people are either not taught civics and
government at all, or they are taught too little, too late, and
inadequately. Read more...
National Finals 2007
The 20th annual We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National Finals took place April 27-30, 2007 in Washington, D.C., and the surrounding area. One high school class from every state in the nation and the District of Columbia participated in simulated congressional hearings testing their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. For more information, please click
here.
Professional Development
The Center is now accepting
We the People: Project Citizen professional development
institute applications from community-youth-group leaders and
teachers of grades 5-12 who are interested in teaching
Project Citizen in their schools during the 2007-08
school year. Project Citizen professional development
institutes provide participants with the opportunity to learn
about an innovative, interdisciplinary civic education program.
Working with other teachers and highly trained presenters,
participants experience Project Citizen the way they
will use it in the classroom. Scholarly presentations on public
policy and public policymaking enrich participants' understanding
of this important component of effective civic engagement. For more
information, please click
here.
Birmingham Seminar on Civil Rights
The Center for Civic Education, the Birmingham
Civil Rights Institute (BCRI), and the Alabama Center for Law and Civic Education
recently hosted We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution Seminar for Civil Rights.
The seminar took place March 9-12, 2007, at the BCRI in Birmingham, Alabama.
The purpose of the seminar was to form lasting partnerships between educators that
will assist in teaching the civil rights movement. BCRI's vision is to provide for
national and international healing, mutual understanding, and respect among all people.
Project Citizen for Juvenile Justice Practitioners Institute March 25, 2007
A Project Citizen Institute designed specifically for teams of at least two members from institutions and organizations that offer educational services to court-referred youth. The five-day institute offers juvenile justice practitioners an opportunity to learn how to implement We the People: Project Citizen in their juvenile justice setting.
The Center will conduct a three-week NEH Summer Institute for educators from public and private high schools, middle schools,
and upper elementary schools to be held at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
Teachers from Indiana, Kentucky and Maryland are recipients of inaugural American Civic Education Teacher Awards, recognizing their
exemplary work preparing young people to become informed and engaged citizens.
Center for Civic Education 
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The 2010 American Civic Education Teacher Awards application is now available to download. Three awards are given annually to elementary and secondary teachers of civics, government, and related fields who have demonstrated special expertise and enthusiasm in motivating students to learn about the U.S. Congress, the Constitution, and public policy. ACETA winners receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to participate in an educational program that includes observing committee hearings in Congress, meeting members of Congress and other key officials, and visiting sites such as the National Archives and the U.S. Supreme Court. Teachers can submit their applications to one of the three sponsoring organizations: Center for Civic Education, Center on Congress at Indiana University, and National Education Association. Applications are due February 16, 2010. 
Three teachers from California, Illinois and Tennessee are the
recipients of the 2007 American Civic Education Teacher Awards,
recognizing their exemplary work preparing young people to become
informed and engaged citizens. Selected in a nationwide search,
the 2007 ACETA winners are Mary Ellen Daneels of Community High
School in West Chicago, Ill.; Barbara Simpson Ector of Cleveland
Middle School in Cleveland, Tenn., and Kevin Fox of Arcadia High
School in Arcadia, Calif. The educators were presented their awards
Friday, October 5, at the We the People: Project Citizen national
conference before 450 civic educators.
More than 250 young people from 31 countries gathered in Washington, D.C., July 15-17 to
showcase a remarkable international civic education program called Project Citizen.
Empowering a New Generation for Democracy: The International Project Citizen Showcase
was the culmination of months of work by students to create public policy proposals
addressing problems in their communities, from Vancouver, Washington, to Yogyakarta,
Indonesia. For more information, please click
The 20th annual We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National Finals took place April 27-30, 2007 in Washington, D.C., and the surrounding area. One high school class from every state in the nation and the District of Columbia participated in simulated congressional hearings testing their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. For more information, please click
