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What's New in Civic Education and
Youth Civic Engagement Work .... (To
see previous What's New announcements go to: Archives) May
5, 2010 The
Public Education Network's Online Weekly NewsBlast announces the
following: Through
the @15 Community Grants Program, Best Buy teams across the United
States select non-profit organizations that provide positive experiences
to help teens excel in school, engage in their communities, and
develop leadership skills. Special consideration will be given to
programs that serve a diverse population in local or regional communities;
build social, academic, leadership, and/or life skills in early
adolescents (primarily ages 13-18); show positive results against
a demonstrated community need; and reach at-risk children in working
families. Maximum
award: $10,000. Eligibility:
organizations that have current 501(c)(3) tax status and are serving
a diverse population of young teens in the areas of learning, life
skills, leadership, or relationship development. Deadline:
applications accepted June 1-July 1, 2010 April
30, 2010 New CIRCLE Fact Sheet: Civic Skills and Federal Policy CIRCLE
has released a new fact sheet entitled "Civic Skills and Federal
Policy." The fact sheet notes that citizens can improve their
communities, the government, and the nation through active civic
engagement and collaboration. To do so requires skills. Educational
programs and other government-supported initiatives have been shown
to enhance Americans' civic skills and their levels of engagement.
But these programs and other opportunities are scarce and unequal,
often provided to people who are already the most likely to be engaged.
A lack of civic learning opportunities not only inhibits Americans'
civic participation, but also has harmful consequences for their
academic and economic progress. For
more go to: http://www.civicyouth.org/FactSheets/FS_10_Civic_Skills.pdf
For
the CIRCLE website go to: http://www.civicyouth.org/ April
28, 2010 Reminder:
The Center for Service-Learning at Western Carolina University announces
the Annual Symposium on Service Learning & Civic Engagement
"Pursuing
an Engagement Agenda: Pathways and Perspectives " Date:
Thursday, June 10, 2010/9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Location:
A. K. Hinds University Center, Western Carolina University Deadlines:
For
more information go to: http://www.wcu.edu/9818.asp
or contact Glenn Bowen, Ph.D. at gbowen@email.wcu.edu April
20, 2010 The
Public Education Network's Online Weekly NewsBlast announces the
following: The
Earth Island Institute Brower Youth Award recognizes young people
for their outstanding activism and achievements in the fields of
environmental and social justice advocacy. Maximum
award: $3,000; a trip to the San Francisco Bay Area to attend the
awards ceremony on October 19, 2010; participation in a week of
speaking engagements, trainings, and environmental conferences leading
up to the ceremony. Eligibility:
North American youth ages 13-22. Deadline:
May 15, 2010. For
more information go to: http://www.broweryouthawards.org/article.php?list=type&type=12 April
13, 2010 The
Public Education Network's Online Weekly NewsBlast announces
the following: The
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Scholars Program selects high-achieving
youth in the Unites States with financial need and provides them,
throughout their high school years, with individualized educational
services that enable them to develop their talents and abilities.
Award: funding and support services. Eligibility: students entering
the eighth grade in the fall of 2010 and planning to enter a U.S.
high school, who also demonstrate financial need. Deadline: April
26, 2010. For
more information, go to: http://www.jkcf.org/scholarships/young-scholars-program/ April
8, 2010 Reminder:
Entertainment Software Association: Grants for Youth Programs The
ESA Foundation is dedicated to supporting geographically diverse
projects and programs that benefit American youth of all races and
denominations to make a difference in the quality of their life,
health, and welfare. The foundation seeks to harness the collective
power of the interactive entertainment industry to create positive
social impact in our communities. Maximum award: varies. Eligibility:
501(c)(3) organizations with programs that serve youths ages 7-18.
Deadline:
April 15, 2010. For
more information go to: http://www.theesa.com/foundation/application.asp April
5, 2010 Call
for Participation in Congress in the Classroom 2010 March
26, 2010 The
Public Education Network's online Weekly NewsBlast announces the
following: On
March 12, the Texas Board of Education put forward a series of changes
to the state's history and social sciences curricula whose "overall
effect, if the changes are approved in May, will to be to yank public
education to the right," writes The Economist. Salient among
these is that Thomas Jefferson, in the words of the magazine, has
"gotten the boot," since he is "suspiciously secular."
Milton Friedman and Friedrich von Hayek will join Adam Smith, John
Maynard Keynes, and Karl Marx in the annals of economics, and the
politically unpopular terms "capitalism" and "free
market" will be replaced with "free enterprise" --
which The Economist finds "inexplicable." The proposed
changes have elicited national concern, since Texas is one of the
country's largest textbook markets and therefore accommodated by
scholastic publishers. It is quite clear, says The Economist, how
the proposed edits came about. Over the years, Republicans have
worked to "stack the deck" with social conservatives.
School board elections are small-money races -- "a clever bit
of political strategy, and Democrats could do it too if they put
their mind to it." In the meantime, even some Texas Republicans
are growing weary of the board's antics, with several of the farthest-right
members ousted in favor of less-far-right conservatives. For
more go to: http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=15710558&source=hptextfeature Related:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gPQ3ktQNqImWyQ23yXKoCFXWrN1QD9EDD4EO0 March
22, 2010 The
Future of Community Engagement in Higher Education: A Summer Research
Institute for Departments and Academic Programs with Minors and
Majors in Community Engagement Date
and location: June 25-27, 2010 to be held on the Boston University
campus (sponsored by Merrimack College's School of Education and
Boston University's Center for Character and Social Responsibility)
You
are invited to join faculty, administrators, staff, students, and
community partners involved with institutions that offer formal
academic programs - majors and minors - focused on community engagement,
broadly defined. Those planning to develop a major or minor in community
engagement are also welcome. This is a unique opportunity to learn
with, and from, campuses that have institutionalized community engagement
through the creation of a major or minor. The institute will foster
exchange of experiences, practices, and philosophical/theoretical
perspectives, as well as the development of research to strengthen
practice. Space is very limited (to 50 or so participants) in order
to foster discussion. Goals
of the Research Institute -
Foster networking and sharing of best practices, funding opportunities,
and collaboration across already existing and developing majors
or minors in community engagement -
Initiate a set of research projects - much of which would be driven
by the participants' needs and interests - on the state of the field
of practice and theory within majors or minors in community engagement.
To this end, we anticipate securing grant and foundation funding
for future conferences and research, submitting proposals to complementary
conferences (e.g., AERA, ASHE, AAC&U, IARSLCE) to report-out
our work, and collaborating on proposals for edited books, guest-edited
journals, and other opportunities for disseminating our research. Agenda For
more information go to: http://www.merrimack.edu/communityengagement
March
19, 2010 CIRCLE
announces the following: Spiral of Rebellion: Conflict Seeking of
Democratic Adolescents in Republican Counties A
study of adolescents living in red and blue counties during the
2006 midterm elections shows a striking pattern of Democratic youth
thriving in political expression and debate when exposed to Republican
ideological climates. Democratic adolescents were more likely to
talk with parents and friends about politics, disagree openly, test
opinions, and listen to opponents if they lived in Republican counties
compared with Democratic youth living in liberal or balanced counties.
Compared to Republican youth residing in the same communities, Democratic
youth in Republican counties were also more likely to engage in
political discussion, to pay attention to news media, and to express
confidence in their ability to comprehend campaign issues. The frequency
of disagreeing in conversations predicted support for liberal activism.
Disagreeing was a particularly strong predictor of supporting liberal
activism for youth living in red counties. The research in summarized
in CIRCLE Working Paper #68 "Spiral of Rebellion: Conflict
Seeking of Democratic Adolescents in Republican Counties."
To download the working paper, click here http://www.civicyouth.org/?p=363 March
16, 2010 The
Forum for Youth Investment's "Ready by 21" presented at
National Conference on Education From
February 11-13, the American Association of School Administrators
(AASA) held their National Conference on Education, which brought
together two thousand school administrators from across the country.
Dan Domenech, Executive Director of AASA, and Quintin Shepherd,
Ready by 21 Peer Workgroup Field Superintendent who presented for
Karen Pittman (stuck in DC by the snowstorm), provided a rousing
and informative Thought Leaders session. In addition to the Thought
Leaders session, conference attendees learned more about the Ready
by 21 Partnership and several national partners through exhibit
booths, including representation by Corporate Voices for Working
Families, nFocus Software and Gallup. For
more information go to: http://forumfyi.org/content/ready-21-presented-national-conference-education March
11, 2010 Reminder:
Join thousands of attendees from around the world at the National
Service-Learning Conference in San Jose, Calif., March 24-27, 2010.
Don't miss this amazing event! The regular registration deadline
for the National Service-Learning Conference is quickly approaching.
For
more information go to: http://www.nylc.org/newsletter_as_webpage.cfm?opt_message=9087&opt_in_sent_id=588949
March
9, 2010 The
Public Education Nework's
(PEN) online weekly NewsBlast announces the following: Entertainment
Software Association: Grants for Youth Programs The
ESA Foundation is dedicated to supporting geographically diverse
projects and programs that benefit American youth of all races and
denominations to make a difference in the quality of their life,
health, and welfare. The foundation seeks to harness the collective
power of the interactive entertainment industry to create positive
social impact in our communities. Maximum
award: varies. Eligibility:
501(c)(3) organizations with programs that serve youths ages 7-18.
Deadline:
April 15, 2010. For
more, go to: http://www.theesa.com/foundation/application.asp March
4, 2010 The
Center for Service-Learning at Western Carolina University announces
their 6th Annual Symposium on Service Learning & Civic Engagement
"Pursuing
an Engagement Agenda: Pathways and Perspectives " Date:
Thursday, June 10, 2010/9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Location:
A. K. Hinds University Center, Western Carolina University Deadlines:
For
more information go to: http://www.wcu.edu/9818.asp or contact Glenn
Bowen, Ph.D. at gbowen@email.wcu.edu February
24, 2010 CIRCLE
announces the following: Spiral
of Rebellion: Conflict Seeking of Democratic Adolescents in Republican
Counties A
study of adolescents living in red and blue counties during the
2006 midterm elections shows a striking pattern of Democratic youth
thriving in political expression and debate when exposed to Republican
ideological climates. Democratic adolescents were more likely to
talk with parents and friends about politics, disagree openly, test
opinions, and listen to opponents if they lived in Republican counties
compared with Democratic youth living in liberal or balanced counties.
Compared to Republican youth residing in the same communities, Democratic
youth in Republican counties were also more likely to engage in
political discussion, to pay attention to news media, and to express
confidence in their ability to comprehend campaign issues. The frequency
of disagreeing in conversations predicted support for liberal activism.
Disagreeing was a particularly strong predictor of supporting liberal
activism for youth living in red counties. The research in summarized
in CIRCLE Working Paper #68 "Spiral of Rebellion: Conflict
Seeking of Democratic Adolescents in Republican Counties."
To download the working paper, click here http://www.civicyouth.org/?p=363 February
16, 2010 From
the Center for Student Leadership, Ethics & Public Service at
North Carolina State University The
Center for Student Leadership, Ethics & Public Service seeks
a full-time EPA Assistant Director to help design, implement, and
evaluate programs that provide unique learning experiences that
embody the value of leadership, service, responsible citizenship
and ethics. We are a team committed to the idea that when we work
together, anything is possible. It is this belief that guides our
work with student leaders and our faculty and community partners
locally and around the world as we work to educate the next generation
of socially responsible leaders who are committed to making change
within their communities. To learn more about our work, check out:
http://www.ncsu.edu/csleps/media/index.php February
10, 2010 CIRCLE
announces the following: Volunteering
Eases Return to Civilian Life for Young Veterans Recent
veterans who have volunteered since returning to the United States
show a better adjustment to civilian life than their fellow returned
servicemen and women who have not volunteered, according to a new
CIRCLE fact sheet entitled "Volunteering and Civic Engagement
among Recent Veterans." The research shows that volunteering
helps bolster ties to the community and eases the transition back
to civilian life. Serving in the military may have given a large
portion of veterans the opportunity, motivation, and skills to participate
more actively in their communities upon their return. For instance,
39 percent of veterans who have volunteered since their return from
OIF/OEF were not regular volunteers before serving in the military.
The survey draws on information on veteran volunteering trends from
Civic Enterprises' survey of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation
Enduring Freedom (OEF) veterans, the Census 2008 Current Population
Survey Volunteering Supplement and the 2009 Civic Health Index.
To learn more about this research, visit http://www.civicyouth.org/?p=364 February
4, 2010 Reminder:
The Sprint Foundation offers grants to school districts and individual
schools in support of resources that facilitate and encourage character
education among K-12 students through programs that promote and/or
address youth leadership, youth volunteerism, a positive school
culture, and drop-out prevention. Maximum
award: $5,000 for individual schools, $25,000 for school districts.
Eligibility:
all U.S. public schools (K-12) and U.S. public school districts.
Deadline:
February 5, 2010. February
2, 2010 The
Center for American Studies at Christopher Newport University will
be holding a conference entitled "Civic Education and the Future
of American Citizenship," on February 3 and 4, 2010, at CNU's
campus in Newport News, Virginia. All lectures are free and open
to the public. Speakers
include poet and former chairman of the National Endowment for the
Arts, Dana Gioia; New York Times bestselling author of Cultural
Literacy, E.D. Hirsch; and Mark Bauerlein, author of The Dumbest
Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes
Our Future. For
more information go to: http://cas.cnu.edu/2010conference.html January
28, 2010 Grants:
Congressional Research Awareds Deadline:
All proposals must be received no later than February 1, 2010. The
Dirksen Congressional Center invites applications for grants to
fund research on congressional leadership and the U.S. Congress.
A total of up to $35,000 will be available in 2010. Awards range
from a few hundred dollars to $3,500. The
competition is open to individuals with a serious interest in studying
Congress. Political scientists, historians, biographers, scholars
of public administration or American studies, and journalists are
among those eligible. The Center encourages graduate students who
have successfully defended their dissertation prospectus to apply
and awards a significant portion of the funds for dissertation research.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens who reside in the United States. The
awards program does not fund undergraduate or pre-Ph.D. study. Organizations
are not eligible. Research teams of two or more individuals are
eligible. No institutional overhead or indirect costs may be claimed
against a Congressional Research Award. There
is no standard application form. Applicants are responsible for
showing the relationship between their work and the awards program
guidelines. Applications are accepted at any time. Applications
which exceed the page limit and incomplete applications will not
be forwarded to the screening committee for consideration. All
application materials must be received on or before February 1,
2010. Awards will be announced in March 2010. Complete
information about eligibility and application procedures may be
found at The Center's Web site: http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_grants_CRAs.htm.
Frank Mackaman is the program officer - mailto:fmackaman@dirksencenter.org. January
26, 2010 Reminder:
2010 Student Scholars' Institute Florida
Campus Compact hosts an exciting student institute filled with interactive
dialogue with policy makers, elected officials, dignitaries, and
students from all over Florida. This is a unique opportunity for
students to build new relationships and expand networks with other
participants, while developing a civic voice, and reflecting on
planned activities. Students will return to their communities with
a renewed sense of purpose as an active citizen in our democracy.
The Student Scholars' Institute will take place on January 31 -
February 2, 2010 in Tallahassee, Florida at the Aloft Hotel. For
more information go to: http://www.floridacompact.org/ January
21, 2010 The
Public Education Network's Weekly Newsblast announces the
following: Tides
Foundation: Pizzigati Prize for Software in the Public Interest The
Antonio Pizzigati Prize for Software in the Public Interest recognizes
software developers whose work has made an outstanding contribution
to the nonprofit sector and to ongoing efforts for positive social
change. Maximum
award: $10,000. Eligibility:
individuals who have developed an open-source software product that
has demonstrated impressive value to at least one nonprofit and
has the potential to offer value to multiple nonprofit organizations.
Deadline:
February 1, 2010. For
more go to: http://www.pizzigatiprize.org/ January
19, 2010 Disney's
Friends for Change Grants encourage kids everywhere to work with
their friends to help the planet. The Friends for Change Grants
will fund kids' projects that help the environment and engage children
ages five to 18 as leaders in their communities. Maximum
award: $500. Eligibility:
schools, organizations, and individuals planning service projects.
To be eligible, projects will need to be done any time during 2010
and should include one service or celebratory component on Global
Youth Service Day, April 23-25, 2010. Deadline:
January 29, 2010. For
more go to: http://www.ysa.org/grants/announcements/friendsforchange January
13, 2010 Reminder:
The 2010 International Association for Research on Service-learning
and Community Engagement (IARSLCE) Annual Conference will take place
from October 28-31, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The
featured theme is International Perspectives: Crossing Boundaries
through Research. Service-learning is valued as an active learning
strategy across the globe; however, little is known about the ways
that service-learning is similar or different in varied contexts.
Understanding service-learning and community engagement from diverse
cultural perspectives will add insight necessary for comparative
research and to improve practice. Proposals
will be accepted beginning Monday, January 15, 2010. To be considered,
all proposals must be received via electronic submission by 11:59
p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) Monday, March 22, 2010. For
the complete call for proposals, visit: http://www.researchslce.org/_Documents/Conferences/2010_Conference/Call_for_Proposals.pdf For
more information about IARSLCE and the conference, visit http://www.researchslce.org/ December
23, 2009 - January 13, 2010 Due
to the holiday, nothing will be posted on "What's New. See
you in 2010! December
22, 2009 Youth
Serve America: The Gladys Marinelli Coccia Awards Eligibility:
young women between the ages of 14 and 17 on January 1, 2010 who
reside in the United States, have started their own social enterprise
or organization, are supported by contributions of at least $1,000
(cash and/or in-kind), and have a business plan including an itemized
budget. Deadline:
January 15, 2010. For
more information: http://ysa.org/grants/announcements/coccia-award December
17, 2009 Florida
Campus Compact will be moving to its new location the week of January
4, 2010. All office and fax telephone numbers will stay the same.
Please be patient as we make this transition as we will have limited
access to phone and email during this move. December
15, 2009 NYLC
Co-Sponsors Statewide Graduation Summit "With
Minnesota high schools experiencing increasing drop-out rates, NYLC,
in conjunction with the Search Institute, Minnesota Alliance with
Youth, State Farm®, and the Department of Education sponsored
a two-day Minnesota Metro and Statewide Graduation Summit in St.
Paul recently - one of the series of summits being held in every
state this year. The
goals of the summit were to bring together school teams of youth
and educators with policy-makers so that participants could develop
plans of action and take steps toward supportive legislation, armed
with first-hand information. No
longer a "silent epidemic," the dropout rate now means
that more than a million students leave school before graduation
each year, and one student drops out every 26 seconds across the
country, according to America's Promise Founding Chairman General
Colin Powell, whose perspectives were shared in a video shown at
the event…." NYLC, December 2, 2009. To
read the entire article, go to: http://www.nylc.org/pages-newsevents-news-NYLC_Co_Sponsors_Statewide_Graduation_Summit?oid=9067. December
10, 2009 National
Service-Learning Conference: Registration Be
sure to join more than 2,500 of your peers at Inspire. Imagine.
Innovate! the 21st Annual National Service-Learning Conference.
NYLC staff and dozens of volunteers have planned four powerful general
sessions, 200 featured and topical sessions, school visits, service-learning
projects, and an exhibit hall featuring more than 100 booths, on-site
projects and a service-learning showcase. Please join us in San
Jose, Calif. for four days of best practices, research, and professional
learning. For
more go to: http://www.nylc.org/newsletter_as_webpage.cfm?opt_message=9022&opt_in_sent_id=558500 December
8, 2009 CIRCLE
announces the following: PACE
Releases Paper on Non-College-Bound Youth PACE
is pleased to announce the release of its latest white paper, "An
Inequitable Invitation to Citizenship: Non-College-Bound Youth and
Civic Engagement." A pdf version of the white paper can be
downloaded from here: http://www.pacefunders.org/non-college-bound-youth.html.
Please
check the PACE Web site for information on their upcoming webinar
when the authors will discuss their research and findings. December
4, 2009 The
2010 International Association for Research on Service-learning
and Community Engagement (IARSLCE) Annual Conference will take place
from October 28-31, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The
featured theme is International Perspectives: Crossing Boundaries
through Research. Service-learning is valued as an active learning
strategy across the globe; however, little is known about the ways
that service-learning is similar or different in varied contexts.
Understanding service-learning and community engagement from diverse
cultural perspectives will add insight necessary for comparative
research and to improve practice. Proposals
will be accepted beginning Monday, January 15, 2010. To be considered,
all proposals must be received via electronic submission by 11:59
p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) Monday, March 22, 2010. For
the complete call for proposals, visit: http://www.researchslce.org/_Documents/Conferences/2010_Conference/Call_for_Proposals.pdf For
more information about IARSLCE and the conference, visit http://www.researchslce.org/ December
2, 2009 During
The Dirksen Center's annual Congress in the Classroom(r) workshop
- http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_programs_CongressClassroom.htm
- participants are asked to introduce the lesson plans, resources,
and techniques that have proven successful in teaching about Congress
in their classrooms. A 2009 participant, Erica Powell, Mt. Diablo
High School, Concord, CA, presented a lesson entitled, "Congress:
A Vocabulary Review." This
activity is based on a game called "Shenanigans." The
purpose of this lesson is to review students' knowledge of key concepts
and terms related to Congress. Find
"Congress: A Vocabulary Review" at: http://www.congresslink.org/print_lp_congressvocabrev.htm November
23, 2009 NYLC
recently launched the Generator Go Green (G3) Initiative, a two-year
program involving 21 middle schools nationwide committed to high-quality
service-learning in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
Supported by federal funding from Learn & Serve America, more
than 4,400 students will develop projects designed to make their
communities more environmentally sustainable. NYLC's
partners such as the Alliance to Save Energy, the National Middle
School Association, and the American Association for School Administrators
will provide STEM expertise and advisors on national middle school
science and math standards. The Alliance to Save Energy, for example,
will provide a school energy audit curriculum and training for middle
school students so that they can conduct audits of their schools…"
To
read the entire article, go to: http://www.nylc.org/pages-newsevents-news-Schools_Named_in_National_Generator_Go_Green_Initiative?oid=9033 November
18, 2009 State
Farm® is accepting nominations for the Service-Learning Champion
Award. Nominate
a community member who has passion for engaging youth in service-learning. -
All entries must be postmarked no later than Dec. 1, 2009. For
more go to: http://www.statefarm.com/about/part_spos/topics/nom_slchamp.asp November
17, 2009 Youth
Service America is currently accepting applications for State Farm®
Good Neighbor Service-Learning Grants to support service-learning
projects that culminate on Global Youth Service Day, April 23-25,
2010. School and community educators across the United States and
Canada (select provinces) can apply for up to $1,000 in funding
for youth-led projects. State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning
grant applicants are encouraged to develop Semester of Service projects
that launch on Martin Luther King Day of Service, January 18, 2010,
and culminate on the weekend of GYSD, April 23-25, 2010. For
the State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Grant application,
please visit, http://www.YSA.org/grants November
16, 2009 NYLC
Offers Free Webinars to Support the Learn and Serve Challenge The
National Youth Leadership Council and the National Service-Learning
Partnership invite you to participate in a series of webinars highlighting
quality service-learning practice. -
Dec. 3 at 11:00 am CST, Self-Assessment and the GSN Resources For
more go to: http://www.nylc.org/pages-newsevents-news-NYLC_Offers_Free_Webinars_to_Support_Learn_and_Serve_Challenge?oid=9016 November
13, 2009 In
honor of the UN International Day for Democracy, the International
Association for Public Participation (IAP2 http://www.iap2.org/)
released the Executive Summary of the Findings of the IAP2-Kettering
Foundation (http://www.kettering.org/)
Report. This
report focuses on public-government decisionmaking in 12 countries. The
final compendium, complete with reports for each country, will be
available later this November
11, 2009 Pew's
Election Work Featured on National Public Radio Doug
Chapin, director of Election Initiatives for the Pew Center on the
States, was recently interviewed for NPR's All Things Considered
about efforts to modernize the voter registration process. Learn
more about Pew's Election Initiatives, which work to increase accuracy,
convenience, efficiency and security in election systems. For
more go to: http://www.pewtrusts.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=55968
and http://www.pewtrusts.org/our_work_detail.aspx?id=488 October
5, 2009 The
Social Capital Foundation announces its 2010 International Conference,
"Social Capital in Practice", to be held in Mellieha,
Malta. The
conference will take place from Friday, 7 May 2010, 5 p.m. (welcome
cocktail, local time) to Monday, 10 May 2010, noon (local time).
Registration is now open and will close February 28 at 6 p.m. CET For
detailed information including guidelines, topics, submission and
registration go to: http://www.socialcapital-foundation.org/conferences/2010/TSCF%20International%20Conference%202010.htm October
2, 2009 New
Book: Engaging Young People in Civic Life For
more go to: http://www.civicyouth.org/?p=347 September
30, 2009 Special
Issue call for papers for the journal Education and Training: Student
Learning from Community Engagement Guest
editors: Tom Bourner and Juliet Millican, University of Brighton There
is growing recognition in recent years of the value of university-community
engagement. This has brought increasing interest in areas such as
service learning and student-community engagement and its significance
for students' learning and development and community benefit. While
this work has been active in the United States for some time there
are many new, more recent initiatives in other parts of the world,
leading to an increase in knowledge and understanding of its relevance
to different discipline areas and cultural contexts. This
call for papers concerns a special issue of Education and Training
focused on a critical assessment of all aspects of the developing
field of student-community engagement with particular attention
to student learning from community engagement. Submissions
that report new and innovative practice within student-community
engagement will be particularly welcome although no restriction
is placed on what we mean by innovation in this context. As appropriate
to the nature of the paper, contributions should demonstrate a critical
approach to practice and sound a conceptual or evidence base. Anyone
interested in contributing to this Special Issue to contact the
editors with a statement of intent. This should be a short outline
(100-200 words) indicating what the paper is about (including a
working title), the nature of the paper (research paper, case study,
critical account of practice, development of theory etc) and how
it will contribute to our understanding of student learning from
community engagement. Please forward this outline (and any queries
about the Special Issue) to tom.bourner@ntlworld.com
or juliet.millican@brighton.ac.uk. Outlines
must be submitted by 30th October 2009. The
deadline for the receipt of full papers is the end 1 February 2010. The
deadline for the receipt of final version of accepted papers is
the end of August 2010. Guidelines
for full papers are online at: http://infor.emeraldinsight.com/products/journals/author_guidelines.htm?id=jeit September
21, 2009 The
Public Education Network's (PEN) online Weekly NewsBlast
announces the following: September
15, 2009 The
National Conference on Citizenship has released its annual Civic
Health Index Report for 2009, entitled Civic Health in Hard Times.
The
NCoC summarizes the main findings as follows: “As economic
distress continues through the summer and into the fall, Americans
are suffering from a ‘civic foreclosure’ that is limiting
the range and depth of their civic engagement. The survey’s
results reflect the hard choices Americans have made during the
downturn, with 72 percent of respondents saying they have cut back
on time engaged in civic participation, which includes time spent
volunteering, participating in groups or performing other civic
activities in their communities. Public perception supports this
finding, as 66 percent of Americans say they feel other people are
responding to the current economic downturn by looking out for themselves,
with only 19 percent saying people around them are responding to
the recession by helping each other more.” For
more go to:http://www.ncoc.net/ August
11 - Sept 14, 2009 No
postings on What's New August
10, 2009 The
2009 Service-Learning Leadership Practitioner Award was presented
to Beverly Hiott at the National Youth Leadership Council's National
Service-Learning Conference. Hiott oversees service-learning programs
for all 22 schools in the Richland Two School District whose superintendent,
Dr. Stephen Hefner, is a member of the NCLC Executive Board and
the District Leaders Network. For
more go to: http://www.ecs.org/00CM1172 August
7, 2009 The
National Schools of Character Awards identify exemplary schools
and districts to serve as models for others, and helps schools and
districts improve their efforts in effective character education.
Maximum award: $2,000. Eligibility: To be eligible, a school must
have been engaged in character education for a minimum of three
full years, starting no later than December 2006 for the 2010 awards.
Districts need to have been engaged in character education for a
minimum of four full years, starting no later than December 2005.
Smaller administrative units that maintain a separate identity within
a large district may apply in the district category, e.g., a school
pyramid or cluster. Deadline:
December 1, 2009. For
more go to: http://www.character.org/nsocapplicationprocess August
4, 2009 The
National Center for Learning and Citizenship's 100 District Leaders
for Civic Engagement and Service-Learning is currently accepting
APPLICATIONS FOR NEW MEMBERS of the network. This cadre of district
superintendents and school board members from across the nation
is selected based on leadership and commitment to integrate and
sustain high-quality citizenship (or civic) education and service-learning
in their districts, and to increase awareness of this important
teaching and learning method with peers in their states and throughout
the nation. To access application information, please click on the
link - http://www.ecs.org/00CM1165 July
27, 2009 Reminder:
The National Youth Leadership Council is sponsoring its sixth annual
National Urban Service-Learning Institute - a two-day event to be
held in Philadelphia on August 6-7 - that focuses on applying the
principles of service-learning in urban environments. This event
brings together community members, young people, and school leaders
to discuss service-learning outreach and application techniques
that help urban students achieve academic excellence and become
strong community leaders. Participants have an opportunity to explore
current trends and topics affecting urban communities, and to share
and learn from colleagues from other urban districts. For
more go to: http://www.nylc.org/pages-newsevents-events-The_Sixth_Annual_National_Urban_Service_Learning_Institute?oid=7496 July
24, 2009 The
National Center for Learning and Citizenship at ECS announces the
following: At
a meeting in New Delhi, over 100 people met to discuss youth development
and ways to nurture active citizenship. Attendees from India, Nepal,
South Africa and the United States examined challenges and opportunities
in supporting youth engagement. Youth
Development through Civic Engagement: Mapping Assets in South Asia
is a working document published by ICICP. According to the paper
the research "seeks to provide a framework to better understand
the field of youth civic engagement in Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan
and India." July
22, 2009 Education
Week announces the following: "U.S.
History Textbooks' Omissions" "Because
of what is missing from U.S. history textbooks, history teachers
should ensure that their students understand their textbook's interpretation
of events is only one possible perspective on what happened, concludes
Michael H. Romanowski in a study of how those texts present the
topics of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the war on terror. Romanowski
is an associate professor in the college of education at Qatar University
in Doha, Qatar. He conducted a content analysis of nine U.S. history
textbooks by major U.S. publishers, including Pearson/Prentice Hall
and Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. Most
textbooks that Romanowski studied did not provide clear information
that would enable students to understand the complexities of the
attacks of 9/11, according to his analysis. He
found, for instance, that only two of the nine textbooks provided
a comprehensive explanation of why 9/11 might have happened, which
he writes, "encourages teachers to raise questions that enable
students to grasp not only 9/11 but also how American values, lifestyles,
and policies are viewed by those outside Western culture." Likewise,
Romanowski found that most of the textbooks avoided providing a
space for students to critique the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in
2003. He writes that they simply stated "facts," or presented
controversies as resolved…" Posted by Mary Ann Zehr on
June 22, 2009, Curriculum Matters, Education Week To
read more to or to respond, go to: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2009/06/us_history_textbooks_omissions.html July
16, 2009 The
Civic Learning Blog connects current constitutional issues
to classroom instruction. Written for teachers, each blog entry
contains either a link to one of the National Constitution Center's
lesson plans or a suggested classroom activity with a constitutional
connection. The blog is updated by the Center's education team,
with occasional guest blog posts from scholars. Looking at timely
issues such as same-sex marriage, clean coal, women's rights, and
the president's cabinet positions, the blog encourages deliberation
and debate about these issues among students and provides resources
to help educators effectively teach current events with a constitutional
connection. Check out the blog and other resources at the Center's
website, www.constitutioncenter.org. July
14, 2009 The
National Service-Learning Partnership announces the release of Information
for Action: A Journal for Research on Service-Learning for Children
and Youth, Volume I, Number 2. The
Journal is a peer-reviewed publication that features relevant, methodologically
sound studies of service-learning impacts and examples of innovative
instruction written by experts, scholars, practitioners, and youth.
The Journal is filled with important reports from a variety of perspectives
and includes information that contributes to the growing literature
on service-learning research. In it, you will find studies from
collegiate researchers, practitioners, and youth. Academic
Articles Practitioner
Articles Youth-Led
Articles Book
Review For
more go to: http://www.service-learningpartnership.org/site/PageServer July
10, 2009 Reminder:
The American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) announced
its Call for Proposals for the 2010 Annual Conference to be held
April 9-13, at the San Jose Fairmont in San Jose, CA. Deadline to
submit a proposal is July 15. For more go to: http://www.aspanet.org/scriptcontent/2010conference.cfm July
8, 2009 The
National Center for Learning and Citizenship at EDC announces the
following "Good Reads" in its most recent online edition: Growing
to Greatness 2009 is now available from the National Youth Leadership
Council. Bill Hughes, NCLC Executive Board and District Leader Network
member, and Bill Erickson, District Leader Network member, co-authored
the chapter titled "From Program to Policy: Institutionalizing
Service-Learning in Urban Schools from and Administrator's Perspective."
http://www.ecs.org/00CM1161 Transforming
Urban Education: Implications for State Policymakers, looks
at four possible scenarios for the future of urban education and
details three recommendations to state policymakers which could
have a positive effect on urban school districts. Service-learning
stands out as one of those recommendations, incorporating learning
that is relevant and engaging youth in activities that improve the
community. http://www.ecs.org/00CM1163 Also
new from America's Promise Alliance is Cities in Crisis 2009
Closing the Graduation Gap highlights graduation rates, 10-year
trends and the economic outlook for high school dropouts. http://www.ecs.org/00CM1164 July
6, 2009 New
Book by CIRCLE Grantee Carmen Sirianni on Collaborative Government Brandeis
University Professor Carmen Sirianni has published "Investing
in Democracy: Engaging Citizens in Collaborative Government"
(Brookings Institution Press, 2009). In his book, Sirianni details
three examples of how government and citizens can collaborate on
problem solving. CIRCLE helped to fund his chapter on youth civic
engagement programs in Hampton, Virginia. For
more information and to buy the book, please visit http://www.amazon.com/Investing-Democracy-Engaging-Collaborative-Governance/dp/0815703120 July
1, 2009 The
Gallup Student Poll National Report, which details results of a
poll of students in grades 5 - 12, is now available. A collaboration
of Gallup, America's Promise Alliance and the American Association
of School Administrators, the survey measures student levels of
hope, engagement and well-being. For
more information, visit the America's
Promise Alliance website. June
26, 2009 Character
Education Partnership: National Schools of Character The
National Schools of Character Awards identify exemplary schools
and districts to serve as models for others, and helps schools and
districts improve their efforts in effective character education.
Maximum award: $2,000. Eligibility: To be eligible, a school must
have been engaged in character education for a minimum of three
full years, starting no later than December 2006 for the 2010 awards.
Districts need to have been engaged in character education for a
minimum of four full years, starting no later than December 2005.
Smaller administrative units that maintain a separate identity within
a large district may apply in the district category, e.g., a school
pyramid or cluster. Deadline:
December 1, 2009. For
more go to: http://www.character.org/nsocapplicationprocess June
24, 2009 The
National Center for Learning and Citizenship at ECS announces the
following: "What
States are Doing" South
Carolina, Wyoming, and Virginia are home to teachers who have received
2009 American Civic Education Teacher Awards. Sponsored by the Center
for Civic Education, The Center on Congress at Indiana University
and the National Education Association, the awards honor elementary
and secondary teachers who have done an outstanding job of preparing
their students to become active, principled citizens. For
more go to: http://www.ecs.org/00CM1160 June
22, 2009 Sixth
Annual National Urban Service-Learning Institute The
National Youth Leadership Council is sponsoring its sixth annual
National Urban Service-Learning Institute - a two-day event to be
held in Philadelphia on August 6-7 - that focuses on applying the
principles of service-learning in urban environments. This event
brings together community members, young people, and school leaders
to discuss service-learning outreach and application techniques
that help urban students achieve academic excellence and become
strong community leaders. Participants have an opportunity to explore
current trends and topics affecting urban communities, and to share
and learn from colleagues from other urban districts. Featured
Speakers include: Daylong
Seminars include: *The
Academy will consist of two workshop sessions on Thursday, August
6, and a choice of an all-day seminar and lunch meeting on Friday,
August 7. For
more go to: http://www.nylc.org/pages-newsevents-events-The_Sixth_Annual_National_Urban_Service_Learning_Institute?oid=7496 June
19, 2009 Grants
for Redwood Education The
Save-the-Redwoods League, a nonprofit organization that works to
protect the ancient redwood forest from destruction, will grant
funds to schools, interpretive associations, and other qualified
nonprofits engaged in quality redwood education. Grants are designed
to foster and encourage public awareness of redwoods, redwood ecology,
and forest stewardship. Maximum award: $5,000. Eligibility:
schools and 501(c)3 organizations. Deadline:
June 30, 2009. For
more go to: http://www.savetheredwoods.org/education/edgrants.shtml June
16, 2009 The
National Center for Learning and Citizenship at the Education Commission
of the States announces the following: Readers
of Citizenship Matters may remember a Guest Column written
by Doug Hart when he was teaching in Ramallah on the West Bank.
He's now teaching in Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville,
Kentucky, attempting as he says, to integrate "authentic civic
engagement, service and the WORLD OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL to my 10th-grade
civics and history classes." For
more go to: http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/80/60/8060.doc June
11, 2009 The
National Service-Learning Partnership announces the release of Information
for Action: A Journal for Research on Service-Learning for Children
and Youth, Volume I, Number 2. The
Journal is a peer-reviewed publication that features relevant, methodologically
sound studies of service-learning impacts and examples of innovative
instruction written by experts, scholars, practitioners, and youth.
The Journal is filled with important reports from a variety of perspectives
and includes information that contributes to the growing literature
on service-learning research. In it, you will find studies from
collegiate researchers, practitioners, and youth. Academic
Articles -
Cultural-Based Service-Learning as a Transformative Learning
Experience for Undergraduate Students and Community Recipients,
Lori Simons, Elizabeth Williams, Nancy Hirshinger-Blank, Kimyette
Willis, Cassandra Dry, Courtnery Floyd, and Brittany Russell Practitioner
Articles -
Nuestros Ninos: Preparing Pre-Service Teachers to Educate Latino
Migrant Children and Youth through Service-Learning, Rubén
P. Viramontez Anguiano, Ph.D., CFLE, José P. Salinas, Ed.D.,
and Walter Garcia Kawamoto, Ph.D. Youth-Led
Articles Book
Review For
more go to: http://www.service-learningpartnership.org/site/PageServer June
8, 2009 The
Public Education Network's weekly NewsBlast announces the following Disney/YSA:
Minnie Grants for Youth-Led Service Projects Disney
Minnie Grants fund children's efforts to improve their communities
via youth-led service projects that address the issues of poverty,
hunger, education, environment, global citizenship, sustainable
community development, and disaster prevention and relief. Funded
projects must take place between September and November 2009. Maximum
award: $500. Eligibility: children between the ages of 5 and 14,
or the organizations that engage them. Applications are accepted
from all over the world. Applicants from India, China, and Russia
are especially encouraged to apply. Deadline:
June 15, 2009. For
more go to: http://ysa.org/MyYSA/YSAContent/YSANews/tabid/219/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/134/DisneyMinnieGrant2ndRound2009.aspx June
5, 2009 Registration
is now open for the 9th International Research Conference on Service-Learning
and Community Engagement. The University of Ottawa and the International
Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement
look forward to hosting you in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, October
9 - 12th, 2009. Register
online at: http://www.researchslce.org/files/2009Conference/Registration.html http://www.sass.uottawa.ca/els June
1, 2009 Youth
Service America is launching its first annual Gladys Marinelli Coccia
Awards to recognize young female social entrepreneurs whose initiatives
serve the common good. Maximum award: $2,000 for the winner's social
enterprise, travel to and registration for Youth Service Institute,
an invitation to serve on the executive board of Girls Helping Girls,
and access to YSA's resources to support and expand social enterprise.
Eligibility: girls between the ages of 14 and 17 (as of December
31, 2009) who reside in the United States and have their own social
enterprise. Deadline:
June 15, 2009. For
more go to: http://ysa.org/MyYSA/YSAContent/YSANews/tabid/219/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/147/TheGladysMarinelliCocciaAwards.aspx May
29, 2009 The
Dirksen Center announces the following: American
Congress Government Simulation and Trivia In
American Congress you get to play as a Representative, Mayor, or
Governor. You basically simulate the wide-ranging and complex American
government. It's in your hands whether you want to legalize abortion,
declare war on a small country, or destroy your political rivals! Find
American Congress Government Simulation at: http://www.congressforkids.net/games/Execbranch_pres_congress/2_pres_congress.htm
May
26, 2009 The
Citizenship and
Democratiitc Education Special Interest Group of the Comparative
International Education Society welcomes scholars, education practitioners,
and policy makers who are interested in citizenship and democratic
education. The
goal of the CANDE SIG is to create an active community of educators
and researchers to share their views and encourage productive debate
on various aspects of citizenship and democratic education in the
United States and around the world. The
Citizenship and Democratic Education SIG aims: -
To create an open forum for opinion exchange and collaboration in
international citizenship and democratic education; -
To provide maximum opportunities for new scholars to have their
voices heard and their scholarly efforts noticed; -
To foster cooperation and collaboration between scholars and practitioners
in the areas of citizenship and democratic education; -
To identify, support, and promote outstanding scholarships and practical
projects in citizenship and democratic education internationally.
For
more go to: http://cies.us/SIGS/CANDE/aboutus.htm. May
20, 2009 The
Democracy Imperative and the Deliberative Democracy Consortium are
hosting "No Better Time: Promising Opportunities in deliberative
democracy for Educators and Practitioners," July 8-11, 2009,
in Durham, New Hampshire. The conference will focus on future directions
for educators and practitioners in teaching, research and citizen-centered
initiatives. For
more go to: http://www.ecs.org/00CM1153 May
15, 2009 The
Florida Campus Compact Engaged Scholarship Fellows Program 2009-2010 As
part of an ongoing effort to improve the theory and practice informing
collegiate service-learning and community engagement in the state
of Florida, Florida Campus Compact invites research proposals from
engaged scholars at our member campuses through this new fellows
program. Researchers from all disciplines are invited to apply. Up
to five Florida scholars will be chosen by a panel of qualified
reviewers to receive this distinction. Fellows will have the opportunity
to be part of an active community of scholars who will meet quarterly
(either virtually or in person) to discuss strategies for research
design and dissemination. Each scholar will receive a small amount
of financial support for her or his research and will be invited
to submit an article for publication in a special peer-reviewed
volume of Florida Engaged Scholarship to be published in 2011. At
least three of the five scholars selected will be tenure-earning.
Projects focusing on community impacts of collegiate service-learning
and community engagement will be favored. Interested researchers
should complete the attached application and must include a project
budget not to exceed $2500, with no more than $2000 to be spent
on a faculty stipend. Funds will be available for distribution beginning
July 15, 2009, and all deliverables will be due June 15, 2010. Deliverables
will include a copy of a 25-30 page article on the research outcomes
that may be submitted to our Florida publication or another appropriate
forum, a short report/précis on the project based on an FL|CC
template for inclusion in promotional materials, and an updated
CV for the fellowship recipient that can be used in promotional
materials. Participants will also be invited to present research
at FL|CC events and may be invited to provide informal mentoring
for emerging researchers in the state. For
more go to: http://www.floridacompact.org. May
11, 2009 Reminder:
Habitat for Humanity Service-Learning Partnership Grants will close
soon ( May 15). Grants include: the 2009–2010 Habitat for Humanity
Service-Learning Partnerships; the 2009-2010 Youth United Urban
Grants; and the 2009 HFHI National Youth Awards. For
more go to: http://www.habitat.org/youthprograms/habitat_street_team/grants_street.aspx. May
8, 2009 The
Dirksen Center announced the following Internet Research Project
Idea Have
your students refer to the "Treasures of Congress Exhibit"
Web site posted on AboutGovernment -- http://www.aboutgovernment.org/print_uscongress.htm.
In 2000-2001, the National Archives created an exhibit featuring
a sampling of the landmark documents created by or delivered to
Congress. The essence of the exhibit is captured in this online
resource. Ask
your students to make a record of family treasures (books, tools,
musical instruments, tickets, letters, photographs) using photographs,
photocopies, drawings, recordings, or videotapes. Read the letters
and then research the time and events surrounding the letters in
other sources. Analyze the opinions and views of the letter-writer
based on the time and events of the period. Put the treasures into
the historical context of Congress. What was happening in Congress
when ancestors were using the family treasures? How did those congressional
events affect your family? What are your family's "landmark
documents? Prepare
a community time capsule with the class. What primary sources (the
"landmark documents") will you include to describe your
present-day community for future generations? Which primary sources
will help get your message across? When should your time capsule
be opened? Examples
of primary sources: family photographs (of ancestors and their homes),
memorabilia, souvenirs, recipes, ancestors' clothes, ancestors'
papers, oral histories, local historical societies, genealogical
information. May
6, 2009 If
Legislation is the Problem, Civic Engagement is the Solution In
a recent post on Alexander Russo's This Week In Education blog,
frequent contributor Margaret Paynich writes that she came away
from Jay Mathew's recent book "Work Hard. Be Nice" with
several conclusions. In the first place, she feels that our school
systems and school structures "were designed for educating
students from hundreds of years ago," and are no longer geared
toward helping teachers and students achieve to their fullest, despite
our claims. In her view, legislation that is "passed without
proper attention to those who have to carry it out" makes up
a large part of the problem, and public engagement is a way to fix
things. "I believe that the public needs to demand a solution
from their legislators," she writes. "Education professionals
have been doing the best they can -- but I don't think they can
do it alone anymore." For her part, Paynich will be involved
in a pilot project in Rhode Island, in which she will be "walking
door-to-door this summer introducing individuals to the school committee,
showing them after-school and mentoring programs they can volunteer
for, and hoping to inspire individuals to take a better responsibility
for their role as citizens." May
4, 2009 K-12
Service-Learning Research Works in Progress program NEW
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Monday, May 11, 2009 There
are just a few spots left in the national K-12 Service-Learning
Research Works in Progress program. This program is for emerging
scholars conducting research on K-12 service-learning issues who
are interested in receiving feedback on their work from senior scholars.
Participation expenses (airfare, hotel, etc.) are covered by the
program. Applications are accepted from emerging scholars investigating
issues in K-12 service-learning who wish to participate in the 2009
Emerging Scholars in Service-Learning Works in Progress Seminar,
to be held June 14-16, 2009 at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis,
Minnesota. Established
in 2007, the Works in Progress Seminar is a program that provides
support and encouragement for a new generation of diverse service-learning
researchers. The Seminar teams emerging scholars with experienced
researchers and practitioners to develop and advance the development
of new scholarly work in field of K-12 service-learning. The Works
in Progress seminar is a national program co-facilitated by the
University of Minnesota, Brandeis University, and Tufts University
and is funded by a W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant to the National
Service-Learning Partnership. Please
address all inquiries about the program or application process to
Michelle Kuhl (at public@umn.edu)
or Andy Furco (at afurco@umn.edu)
at the University of Minnesota. April
29, 2009 The
National Center for Learning and Citizenship at ECS announces the
following: Oklahoma
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Sandy Garrett convened
the inaugural State Superintendent's Student Advisory Council in
February. Chosen from hundreds of applicants, the 50 students range
from freshmen to seniors and represent geographic diversity and
school size. The council members initially met with Superintendent
Garrett to discuss the dropout problem and possible solutions. The
Alabama Department of Education is partnering with America's Promise
Alliance and Gallup to conduct the first ever Gallup Student Poll.
Students in 5th through 12th grade will be surveyed about their
attitudes, beliefs and behaviors to identify key supports needed
to stay engaged and succeed in school. Results will help communities
develop more effective and relevant solutions to America's dropout
crisis. April
27, 2009 A
report from the Pew Hispanic Center highlights a growing dilemma
in the immigration debate, according to The Associated Press. Growing
numbers of children of illegal immigrants are born in this country,
and are nearly twice as likely to live in poverty as those with
American-born parents. These children struggle and face uncertainty
alongside parents who fear deportation, toil largely in low-wage
jobs, and suffer layoffs in an ailing economy. Pew's analysis estimates
that 11.9 million illegal immigrants were living in the United States
as of March 2008 - 5.4 percent of the U.S. work force. In 2003,
2.7 million children of illegal immigrants, or 63 percent, were
born here. Children of illegal immigrants hold a delicate place
in the United States. On the one hand, the Supreme Court ruled in
1982 that these children, citizens or not, were entitled to a public
school education. On the other hand, immigrants and their families
are among the poorest in the country, easily exploited by employers
and subject to arrest at any time. Children who are U.S. citizens
cannot petition for their parents to become legal U.S. residents
until they are at least 21. Read
more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-illegal-immigration,1,5791776.story To
see the report: http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.php?ReportID=107 April
24, 2009 Downward
Trend in High School Volunteering CIRCLE's
new fact sheet provides a 50-state breakdown of volunteering rates
for teenagers, young adults, and the population over 25. Vermont,
Utah & North Carolina show the highest rates; New York and Nevada
among the lowest. According
to the report, "Fewer high school age (16018) Americans stepped
up to volunteer their time over the past two years, new research
reveals. Traditionally, teenagers have volunteered at slightly higher
rates than other age groups, but in 2007 people 25 or older were
more likely to volunteer than were those 16 to 18. Overall
trends showed a 6 percentage point decline in volunteering among
16-to-18 year-olds since the rate peaked in 2005 at 33 percent.
Meanwhile, volunteer rates for the population aged 19-25 (18 percent)
and 25 years and older (28 percetn) both changed very little (2
percentage points or less) since 2002…" For
more go to: http://www.civicyouth.org/ April
22, 2009 The
Dirksen
Center announces the following: 14
Units to Learn How a Bill Becomes a Law The
legislative process is a fascinating, important, and complex set
of actions whose excitement and variability are not fully captured
in the standard "a bill becomes a law" chart. While the
formal stages in the legislative process are a good place to start,
it is important to recognize alternative routes. Legislation passes
or fails both on the quality of its content and the strategies of
its opponents and proponents. This module uses text, graphics, and
video to enliven students' understanding of the legislative process
and to allow them to explore in-depth its various facets. Find
14 Units to Learn How a Bill Becomes a Law at: http://www.dirksencenterprojects.org/#14units April
20, 2009 The
National Center for Learning and Citizenship at ECS announces the
following: Meet
JoAnn Henderson, new NCLC executive director, and read her reflection
on the National Service-Learning Conference and how she sees her
previous experience blending with future NCLC work. For
more go to: http://www.ecs.org/00CM1144 April
17, 2009 Youth
Award for Outstanding Activism in Environmental and Social Justice The
Earth Island Institute Brower Youth Award recognizes young people
for their outstanding activism and achievements in the fields of
environmental and social justice advocacy. Maximum
award: $3,000, a trip to California for the awards ceremony, and
a wilderness camping trip. Eligibility:
youth ages 13-22. Deadline:
May 15, 2009. For
more go to: http://www.broweryouthawards.org/article.php?list=type&type=12 April
15, 2009 The
Dirksen Center announces the following: Words
and phrases that describe congressional processes Source:http://www.c-span.org/guide/congress/glossary/jefferso.htm April
13, 2009 The
Education Commission of the States announces the following about
the Federal Stimulus: A
new Web site from the Council of State Governments provides summaries
on how states are planning to spend their federal stimulus funds
on areas relating to education. For
more go to: http://www.ecs.org/00CN4300 April
8, 2009 The
Dirksen Center announces the following: "People
Who Served In Congress" Sketches
of famous and not-so-famous Senators and Representatives Russell
Long (D-LA) (1918-2003). When Russell Long was elected in November
1948 as a Democrat from Louisiana, he became the only person in
U.S. history to have been preceded in that body by both his father
and his mother. The son of Huey P. Long, the legendary populist
known as Kingfish who as governor of Louisiana and a senator ran
the state's political machinery with almost dictatorial power until
he was assassinated in 1935, Russell Long was elected to the Senate,
just days before reaching the constitutional minimum age of 30. Long
was known for his knowledge of tax laws. In 1953, he began serving
on the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee and was the chairman
from 1966 until Republicans assumed control of the Senate in 1981.
When Hubert H. Humphrey was nominated for vice president in 1964,
Mr. Long became the Democratic whip in the Senate, one of the most
powerful posts in Congress. African-Americans
in Congress: Robert Brown Elliott (1842-1884). A Republican from
South Carolina, Brown served in the House from 1871-1874. Possessing
a strong, clear voice "suggestive of large experience in outdoor
speaking," Elliott fought passionately to pass a comprehensive
civil rights bill in his two terms in Congress. However, his fealty
to the South Carolina Republican Party led him to resign his seat
in the U.S. House of Representatives to serve the state government
in Columbia. White
colleagues received Elliott coolly when he arrived in the House.
His dark skin came as a shock, as the two other African Americans
on the floor, Joseph Rainey and Jefferson Long, were light-skinned
mulattos. Described as the first "genuine African" in
Congress, Elliott seemed to embody the new political opportunities-and
southern white apprehensions-ushered in by emancipation. Elliott
was given a position on the Committee on Education and Labor, where
he served during both of his terms. Sources:
Biographical
Directory of the U.S. Congress: http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=E000128
Women
in Congress: Edith Nourse Rogers (1881-1960). As a nursing volunteer
and advocate for veterans across the country during and after World
War I, Edith Nourse Rogers was thrust into political office when
her husband, Representative John Jacob Rogers, died in 1925. During
her 35-year House career, the longest congressional tenure of any
woman to date, Rogers, a Republican from Massachusetts, authored
legislation that had far-reaching effects on American servicemen
and women, including the creation of the Women's Army Corp and the
GI Bill of Rights. Sources:
Women in Congress at http://womenincongress.house.gov/profiles/index.html
Biographical
Directory of the U.S. Congress: http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=R000392 April
6, 2009 The
Public Education Network's online "NewBlast" announces
the following: "Youth
Award for Outstanding Activism in Environmental and Social Justice" The
Earth Island Institute Brower Youth Award recognizes young people
for their outstanding activism and achievements in the fields of
environmental and social justice advocacy. Maximum award: $3,000,
a trip to California for the awards ceremony, and a wilderness camping
trip. Eligibility: youth ages 13-22. Deadline: May 15, 2009. For
more go to: http://www.broweryouthawards.org/article.php?list=type&type=12 April
3, 2009 Reminder:
CALL FOR PARTICIPATION: CONGRESS IN THE CLASSROOM 2009 *
Deadline: April 15, 2009 * Congress
in the Classroom is a national, award-winning education program
now in its 17th year. Developed and sponsored by The Dirksen Congressional
Center, the workshop is dedicated to the exchange of ideas and information
on teaching about Congress. We
designed Congress in the Classroom for high school or middle school
teachers who teach U.S. history, government, civics, political science,
or social studies. Forty teachers will be selected in 2009 to take
part in the program. All online applications must be received by
no later than April 15, 2009. We will notify individuals of our
decisions by April 30, 2009. Although
the workshop will feature a variety of sessions, the 2009 program
will focus on two themes: (1) developments in the 111th Congress,
and (2) new resources for teaching about Congress. The workshop
consists of two types of sessions: those that focus on recent research
and scholarship about Congress (and don't always have an immediate
application in the classroom) and those geared to specific ways
to teach students about the federal legislature. The
2009 workshop will be held Monday, July 27 - Thursday, July 30,
at Embassy Suites, East Peoria, Illinois. The
program is certified by the Illinois State Board of Education for
up to 22 Continuing Education Units. The program also is endorsed
by the National Council for the Social Studies. Participants
are responsible for (1) a non-refundable $155 registration fee (required
to confirm acceptance after notice of selection) and (2) transportation
to and from Peoria, Illinois. Many school districts will pay all
or a portion of these costs. The
Center pays for three nights lodging at the headquarters hotel (providing
a single room for each participant), workshop materials, local transportation,
all but three meals, and presenter honoraria and expenses. The Center
spends between $30,000 and $35,000 to host the program each year. March
30, 2009 The
Public Education Network's Weekly NewsBlast announces the following: Nokia/YouthActionNet:
Global Fellows YouthActionNet
Fellows are social entrepreneurs who participate in a week-long
capacity-building workshop whose key focus is facilitating peer-to-peer
learning and networking opportunities. Participants develop a customized
learning plan based on individual leadership learning needs and
focused on six dimensions of leadership: personal, visionary, political,
collaborative, organizational, and societal. Eligibility: youths
18-29 as of November 1, 2009; applicants should be founders of existing
projects/organizations, or leading a project within an organization.
Maximum award: all-expenses-paid retreat, November 1-8. Deadline:
April 15, 2009. For
more go to: http://youthactionnet.org/index.php?fuse=aboutfellowship March
26, 2009 Senate
Votes to Triple AmeriCorps, Bolster Service "The
Senate voted Thursday to give tens of thousands of peo\ple more
opportunities to mentor children, clean parks and help the poor,
a sweeping call to national service in a time of need. The
legislation would triple the size of the Clinton-era AmeriCorps
and broadly expand incentives for students and seniors to give back
to their communities, at a cost of $5.7 billion over five years.
It also would create five groups to help poor people, improve education,
encourage energy efficiency, strengthen access to health care and
assist veterans. The
vote was 79-19. Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., changed his vote after
the roll call to support the measure. President
Barack Obama said in a statement that "our work is not finished
when I sign this bill into law _ it has just begun." "It
is up to each of us to seize those opportunities. To do our part
to lift up our fellow Americans. To realize our own true potential,"
Obama said Thursday night. "I call on all Americans to stand
up and do what they can to serve their communities, shape our history
and enrich both their own lives and the lives of others across this
country." The
bill was named for Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., who is being
treated for brain cancer but returned to the Senate to vote on legislation
that he has long championed. Kennedy, joined by his son, Rep. Patrick
Kennedy, D-R.I., received a standing ovation from his Senate colleagues
at the conclusion of the vote…" By Ann Sanner, Thursday,
March 26, 2009, 9:12 pm, The Washington Post. March
23, 2009 The
Millennial Pendulum: A New Generation of Voters and the Prospects
For a Political Realignment CIRCLE
Director, Peter Levine, along with Constance Flanagan and Les Gallay
of Penn State University, authored a new report "The Millennial
Pendulum: A New Generation of Voters and the Prospects for a Political
Realignment." The report was funded by the New American Foundation
and was officially announced at an event on February 18, 2009 in
Washington DC. The report finds that the Millennials (born after
1982) are starting their adult lives much more progressive on economic
issues than any generation from the early 1960s to today. The historical
analysis shows that each generation has held a fairly stable attitude
toward economic issues that has remained durable even as major economic
and political events have occurred. Each generation has grown somewhat
more conservative as its members have moved through life. But the
Millennials are starting to the left of previous generations and
are therefore likely to move the country leftward for decades to
come. To download the report, please visit: http://www.newamerica.net/publications/policy/millennial_pendulum
March
20, 2009 CALL
FOR PARTICIPATION: CONGRESS IN THE CLASSROOM 2009 *
Deadline: April 15, 2009 * Congress
in the Classroom is a national, award-winning education program
now in its 17th year. Developed and sponsored by The Dirksen Congressional
Center, the workshop is dedicated to the exchange of ideas and information
on teaching about Congress. We
designed Congress in the Classroom for high school or middle school
teachers who teach U.S. history, government, civics, political science,
or social studies. Forty teachers will be selected in 2009 to take
part in the program. All online applications must be received by
no later than April 15, 2009. We will notify individuals of our
decisions by April 30, 2009. Although
the workshop will feature a variety of sessions, the 2009 program
will focus on two themes: (1) developments in the 111th Congress,
and (2) new resources for teaching about Congress. The workshop
consists of two types of sessions: those that focus on recent research
and scholarship about Congress (and don't always have an immediate
application in the classroom) and those geared to specific ways
to teach students about the federal legislature. Throughout
the program, you will work with subject matter experts as well as
colleagues from across the nation. This combination of firsthand
knowledge and peer-to-peer interaction will give you new ideas,
materials, and a professionally enriching experience. "Until
now so much of what I did in my class on Congress was straight theory-this
is what the Constitution says," noted one of our teachers.
"Now I can use these activities and illustrations to help get
my students involved in the class and at the very least their community
but hopefully in the federal government. This workshop has given
me a way to help them see how relevant my class is and what they
can do to help make changes in society." The
2009 workshop will be held Monday, July 27 - Thursday, July 30,
at Embassy Suites, East Peoria, Illinois. The
program is certified by the Illinois State Board of Education for
up to 22 Continuing Education Units. The program also is endorsed
by the National Council for the Social Studies. Participants
are responsible for (1) a non-refundable $155 registration fee (required
to confirm acceptance after notice of selection) and (2) transportation
to and from Peoria, Illinois. Many school districts will pay all
or a portion of these costs. The
Center pays for three nights lodging at the headquarters hotel (providing
a single room for each participant), workshop materials, local transportation,
all but three meals, and presenter honoraria and expenses. The Center
spends between $30,000 and $35,000 to host the program each year. March
19, 2009 From
today's Washington Post: House
Backs Bill to Increase Service Opportunities "Tens
of thousands of Americans could see more opportunities to mentor
children, help rebuild homes and participate in other national service
under a measure passed by the House on Wednesday. The
House voted 321-105 to expand AmeriCorps and other national service
programs by 175,000 participants. It would also create new groups
to help poor communities with education, clean energy, health and
services for veterans. The
bill "reaches out to all Americans from all walks of life and
asks them to commit to service," said Jared Polis, D-Colo.
"During these difficult times, our nation needs the help of
each and every one of us more than ever." A
Senate committee approved an expansion Wednesday that was somewhat
similar, adding 175,000 positions to the AmeriCorps alone. That
bill, which triples the size of the program, could reach the Senate
floor next week. 'At
this moment of economic crisis, when so many people are in need
of help and so much needs to be done, this could not be more urgent,"
said Obama, who pledged during the campaign to provide government
support for national service programs….'"By Ann Sanner,
The Associated Press, Wed. March 18, 2009; 6:21 p.m.
March
18, 2009 The
National Service-Learning Partnership's (http://www.service-learningpartnership.org/)
initiative Service-Learning
United provides information and seeks your support on a
number of service-learning policies and issues: Service-Learning
Legislative Updates -
Check the blog for the latest Service-Learning Policy Update Reauthorization
of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 -
Service-Learning United Recommendations for Reauthorization Learn
and Serve America Funding Update -
2009 Appropriations Serve
America Act, S.277 -
About the Serve America Act Service-Learning
and the Obama Administration -
The Obama Service Plan About
Serving-Learning United To
learn more about each of the above bullets go to: http://www.service-learningpartnership.org/site/PageServer?pagename=advocacy_index March
16, 2009 The
following is in today's Washington Post: An
Ideal that Crosses The Aisle Every
politician speaks glowingly about service to country, but few see
national service as an important political issue. The temptation
is to dismiss service proposals made by someone in the other political
party as trivial or part of some hidden agenda. When
President Clinton pushed AmeriCorps, some Republicans denounced
the idea of "paid volunteerism" and saw the national service
program as an effort to create a new generation of progressive activists.
Maybe one of them might become a Democratic president. As
it happens, we do have a former community organizer as president,
though funding for his early work came from a Catholic organization,
not AmeriCorps. Both Barack and Michelle Obama have a passion for
the service idea, and, with almost no fanfare, the United States
is close to making its largest commitment to civilian service since
the New Deal… By E.J. Dionne, March 16, 2009, The Washington
Post March
13, 2009 Street
Law, Inc. and the Supreme Court Historical Society will sponsor
the annual Supreme Court Summer Institute, June 25-30, 2009.
The institute is open to secondary level social studies teachers
and supervisors who will spend five stimulating days on Capitol
Hill and inside the Supreme Court learning from top Supreme Court
litigators and educators about the Court, its past and current cases,
and how to teach about them. Participants also will be in the Court
to hear the Justices announce the final decisions of the term and
attend a private reception. The application deadline is March 20,
2009. For full information and to apply online (under the "Registration
Info" tab), go to: http://www.streetlaw.org/en/CalendarEvent.6.aspx. March
11, 2009 Friday,
March 20, 2009, Nashville, Tennessee, 12:15 p.m. to 1:35 p.m. (room
TBA). March
9, 2009 NEW
DEADLINE: Wednesday, March 11, 2009, 12:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight
Time) all proposals must be received via electronic submission. The University of Ottawa and the International Association for
Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement look forward
to welcoming you to the Ninth International Research Conference
on Service-Learning and Community Engagement on October 9-12, 2009,
at the Westin Ottawa hotel in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The Call for Proposals and additional conference information are
available on the website: http://www.researchslce.org/2009Conference.html.
All proposals must be received via electronic submission by the
12:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) Wednesday, March 11, 2009. If
you have any questions, please contact the conference staff at ircslce2009@uottawa.ca. IARSLCE and the University of Ottawa are very pleased to announce
its plenary speakers for the 2009 conference: Stephen Lewis, Chair
of the Stephen Lewis Foundation; Reva Joshee, Associate Professor
and Chair of the Department of Theory and Policy Studies of the
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of
Toronto; and Joel Westheimer, University Research Chair in the Sociology
of Education and Professor of Education at the University of Ottawa.
For complete plenary speaker biographies, visit the conference website
above. March
6, 2009 Still
Serving: Measuring the Eight-Year Impact of AmeriCorps on Alumni
is a new study on the long-term effect of AmeriCorps service on
former members. It suggests that Americorps provides individuals
with immediate opportunities to serve, and also spurs these individuals
to be agents of positive change in their communities after their
service is complete. For
more go to: http://www.nationalservice.gov/pdf/08_0513_longstudy_report.pdf March
4, 2009 The
Dirksen Center announces the following new resources: -
Putting the Movement Back into Civil Rights Teaching, published
by Teaching for Change and PRRAC, provides lessons and articles
for pre-K-12 educators on how to go beyond a heroes approach to
the Civil Rights Movement. Link
to Putting the Movement Back into Civil Rights Teaching from The
Center's Civil Rights Documentation Project (purple bar, left side)
at: http://www.congresslink.org/civilrights/aboutproject.htm
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"Civic education" means the multiple processes through which children and young adults acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that are needed for effective democratic citizenship. Civic knowledge and participation are not passed down through the genetic code - they require that each generation of students learn civic facts, explore democratic ideals and connect such concepts to the responsibility of citizenship. |
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Today,
young Americans are experimenting with exciting new forms of civic engagement
and are volunteering in record numbers. However, young people know less
about formal government and politics than their predecessors did at
the same age. This lack of knowledge is a barrier to important kinds
of civic and political engagement. |
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