What's New in Civic Education and Youth Civic Engagement Work .... (July/August 2003 Archive Section)

 

August 8, 2003

"WHAT'S BEING DONE ON ...Civic Education for Democracy?" is now on the World Movement for Democracy website (http://www.wmd.org). This issue highlights projects and organizations around the world whose work reflects the ways in which civic education helps to advance democracy. Projects and organizations presented are illustrative examples that other democracy activists, practitioners, and educators might consider as they develop their own initiatives. Special sections of this issue feature interviews with two World Movement participants: David McQuoid-Mason, member of the Faculty the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies' Street Law and Democracy Education Program at the University of Natal in South Africa, and Cynthia Gabriel, Executive Director of the Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram).

Previous themes for this section of the World Movement Web site have included "Peace Building and Democracy," "Strengthening Local Governance," "Increasing Women's Participation in Politics," "Breakthrough Elections," "Cross-Border Assistance," and "Internet and Other Media." They are available in the "What's Being Done On...?" archives at www.wmd.org, then click on "What's Being Done On...?"

If you would like to provide information about unique or innovative civic education work that your organization conducts, please contact world@ned.org (fax to +1-202-293-0755).


• The Promise of National Service: A (Very) Brief History of an Idea by E.J. Dionne, Jr. and Kayla Meltzer Drogosz, June 2003. Americans are always for national service-except when we are not. Public rhetoric in the United States has always laid heavy stress on the obligations of citizenship. "With rights come responsibilities." It's a statement that rolls off the tongues of politicians. "Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country." John F. Kennedy's words are so embedded in our civic catechism that the mere mention of the word "service" automatically calls them forth. On Veterans Day and Memorial Day, politicians regularly extol the valor of those "without whose sacrifices we would not enjoy our freedom." Bill Clinton praised the idea of service. George W. Bush now does the same. It is one of the few issues on which our last two presidents agree. E.J. Dionne, Jr. is a Brookings Senior Fellow and a columnist at The Washington Post. Kayla Meltzer Drogosz is a Brookings Senior Research Analyst in Governance Studies.

  August 7 , 2003

• Chasing the Youth Vote "On the third floor of the anonymous office park housing Howard Dean's campaign headquarters in Burlington, Vermont, an earnest literature and history major from Alabama greets visitors in bare feet. Nearby, a 17-year-old from Connecticut chats with potential high school supporters on the telephone. An Amherst student steps off the elevator in hiking boots showing signs of a recent hike and disappears into rows of cubicles. This is the hub of "Generation Dean," a network of teenage and 20-something Dean supporters the campaign is relying on to reach young voters." By Rafi Rom and Vincent Valdmanis, Wiretap, August 4, 2003.

• Too Young to Make a Difference? With little over a year until the next presidential election, Republicans and Democrats are gearing up for a big campaign push and starting to recognize the potential of this largely unaffiliated voting block. Numbering nearly 27 million, 18- to 25-year-olds make up 14 percent of the electorate, yet only 45 percent are registered to vote, according to the Youth Vote Coalition, a conglomeration of youth organizations with an interest in seeing young people head to the ballot boxes. "This group is ripe for the picking in the next presidential race," said Dan Glickman, director of Institute of Politics at Harvard University and a former secretary of agriculture under President Clinton. "There are certainly enough of them to reinforce election but they are neglected." By Rachel Elbaum, MSNBC, July 29, 2003.

  August 6 , 2003

• The Institute of Cultural Affairs Community Youth Development Day: A free interactive workshop designed to empower youth to take action as agents of social change in their community develop skills of working together in youth/adult partnerships. Experience new participatory methods of leadership. Brainstorm and create action steps for youth/adult community collaboration.
  - Introduce ICA's "Youth as Facilitative Leaders" Training: Dates for this day-long seminar can be scheduled between the months of July-August for youth and adults from your organization at The Institute of Cultural Affairs; phone: 202-828-1008; fax: 202-828-1008; email: leadership@ica-usa.org; contact: Angela Schluchter or Regina Robinson for more information.

  - Youth as Facilitative Leaders: Do you struggle to help young people plan and lead projects?
  Are you looking for ways to release the energy and creativity of a youth group? If you are looking for innovative and exciting tools to encourage youth and adult partnerships while giving youth you work with the opportunity to show their true leadership, then attend the Institute of Cultural Affairs' Youth as Facilitative Leaders (YFL) training. YFL offers youth and adults a unique opportunity to gain effective tools for facilitating projects, building consensus and leading productive discussions in the organizations they are a part of and communities where they live. Participation, innovation and group ownership are the core values embedded in the skills. The YFL Group Facilitation Methods course will be taught in The District of Columbia July 23-25 and August 14-15. Participants who have taken the YFL training this summer have said: "This was one of the most enlightening experiences in my life. It left me wanting the new year to start." - Youth Participant. "Finally, a workshop that you can bring something back besides a 'yippie skippy' attitude." - School Administrator. "This was a very insightful, information-packed and enjoyable course. I would not recommend, I would TELL people they HAVE to attend this course. That they would come out a better person." -Youth Student Government Leader. Visit the website at: http://www.ica-usa.org/programs/yfl/yfl_home.html

  District of Columbia Course: August 14th-15th For more information and course prices, contact:
  Mazi Mutafa at 202-828-1008 or mmutafa@ica-usa.org.
  

  August 5 , 2003

• The 1st IEA International Research Conference Call invites you to participate in the 1st IEA International Research Conference (IRC-2004), organized by the IEA, in cooperation with the Department of Education, at the University of Cyprus. The conference will be held on the University of Cyprus campus in Lefkosia, Cyprus. The conference dates are from Monday, May 11 to Wednesday 13, 2004.

  You are invited to submit a proposal for the IRC-2004 conference, based on the IEA research projects in one of the following thematic strands: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), Civic Education Study (CIVED), Progress in Reading literacy Study (PIRLS), Second Information Technology in Education Study (SITES), Pre-Primary Project (PPP). Each proposal is intended to report secondary analysis research results, and must be received no later than 15 October 2003.

  Criteria for Acceptance:
  1. Topic: Originality, choice of problem, importance of issues, relevance to program themes. 2. Contribution to Education: Academic/educational importance, theoretical / practical significance. 3. Analysis and Interpretation: Significance of conclusions; implications for research, practice, policy, development of ideas; relationship of conclusions to findings; generalizability or usefulness of findings or concepts.

  SUBMISSION PROCEDURES.
  Each proposal should include the following: 1) Abstract of the paper (maximum 250 words) *Note: This information should be appropriate for publication in the program, if the proposal is accepted; 2) An extended summary of 1,000 word maximum on a separate page(s). *Note: The submitted summaries are blind reviewed by two members of the international Scientific/Program Committee.

  Please note that more information is available at the published conference website: http://www.ucy.ac.cy/irc2004.

  Also, for further information on the IEA civic education data set see http://www.wam.umd.edu/~iea and an article by Torney-Purta and Amadeo in the April issue of PS: Political Science and Politics. The most relevant of the international reports is the one reporting survey results from 14-year-olds: Torney-Purta, et al. 2001 Citizenship and Education in Twenty-eight Countries (available on the web site for downloading or for $55 plus postage from 1-800-285-2221 ordering Product Cod 235-0042). The instrument (which tells you what is in the data base for analysis) is on the web-site (under The Study).

  The international CIVED data set will be released in mid-November 2003 (with technical documentation). The U.S.CD Rom of data is already released (contact jt22@umail.umd.edu for a copy giving your mailing address).

  The IEA CivEd data are very relevant to research interests, as a rigorous data collection on adolescents and political socialization (140,000 students tested in 29 countries). And papers/proposals based on analysis of these data are welcomed by the conference organizers. The conference organizer served as the National Research Coordinator for Cyprus in the IEA Civic Education Study.

  A conference proposal could be submitted planning international data use (from a selection of countries) or planning U.S. data use only. Proposals (for submission by the conference deadline) could be formulated using the report and instrument referenced above and other material on the web site (and the analysis conducted between November 2003 and May 2004).

  As in any other conference, the participants would be responsible for all conference fees, travel, lodging, etc. This is not a subsidized conference, but it should be very interesting (especially if a large number of researchers interested in civic education submit papers).
  

  August 4, 2003

• The New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College and USA TODAY are planning America's Youth Forum 2004 - a nationwide civic engagement project that seeks to engage thousands of voting age high school and college students in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary.

  America's Youth Forum 2004 will provide students an opportunity to study public policy issues they find important and ask questions of the presidential primary candidates. Classes will receive copies of USA TODAY and utilize online resources to research the candidates and the issues. Teachers are given flexibility in how they incorporate this project into their curriculum. The forum with the candidates is scheduled for November 20, 2003.

  Space is limited to 200 classes and teachers (not students) must register. Please visit http://www.americasyouthforum.org to learn more and to register. Registration deadline is August 25, 2003.
  

• UNITED WE SERVE: NATIONAL SERVICE AND THE FUTURE OF CITIZENSHIP
  Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), addressing a panel at the Brookings Institution Wednesday, condemned those who have questioned the worth of national service programs because of recent operational mismanagement, calling such criticisms "damn foolishness." McCain was referring to Friday's decision by the House of Representatives to deny AmeriCorps an additional $100 million in funding, in part due to recent allegations of mismanagement. http://www.brookings.edu/comm/events/20030730.htm. Transcripts of recent events: http://www.brookings.edu/comm/events/archive.htm

July 31, 2003

• The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) is pleased to announce THREE new grant competitions for research on the civic engagement of young Americans. The three RFPs and application guidelines can be found at http://www.civicyouth.org/grants/applying/index.htm.
  
  We encourage you to visit our Web site for complete details, as our granting policies have changed. In particular, please note that the deadline for submitting MANDATORY letters of inquiry is **September 19, 2003**.

• The Brookings Institution recently held the panel United We Serve: National Service and the Future of Citizenship. The panel focused on the debates and their implications for the meaning of citizenship. Key issues included current Federal funding and challenges facing the AmeriCorp program; the emphasized need and call for service after 9/11; decline of youth voting and creating a bridge between voting and service in America; fostering municipal citizenship; and the role of the Federal government in national service.

  Panelists included: Kayla Meltzer Drogosz, Co-Editor, United We Serve, and Senior Research Analyst, Governance Program, The Brookings Institution; Jane Eisner, Columnist, Philadelphia Inquirer and Senior Fellow, Robert A. Fox Leadership Program, University of Pennsylvania; Leslie Lenkowsky, CEO, Corporation for National and Community Service; Will Marshall, President and Founder, Progressive Policy Institute, and Senator John McCain (R-Arizona). The moderator was E.J. Dionne, Jr. Co-Editor, United We Serve, Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution, Columnist, Washington Post.

  For more information on discussion go to: http://www.brook.edu/comm/op-ed/uws20030730.htm

• The recently released Brookings Institution book, United We Serve: National Service and the Future of Citizenship by E.J. Dionne, Jr., Kayla Meltzer Drogosz and Robert E. Litan, "is the first comprehensive volume to grapple with the importance of the service movement and the implications of September 11 for how Americans think of public life. Activists and practitioners discuss the rise of an ethic of service, the practical successes of the service movement, and its challenges." For more information on the book go to: http://www.brookings.edu.

  July 30, 2003

• Electionline Weekly is now featuring its second installment of a series of stories, articles, and opinion summaries about the state of voter education nationwide and the potential for improvements with federal Help America Vote Act funds. Electionline Weekly is produced by the staff of the Election Reform Information Project, a non-partisan, non-advocacy research effort supported by The Pew Charitable Trusts and administered by the University of Richmond. More information about the Project and up-to-the-minute news on election reform throughout the week can be found at http://www.electionline.org.

  July 29, 2003

• The American Youth Policy Forum's "Building an Effective Citizenry: Lessons Learned from Initiatives in Youth Engagement" by Sarah Pearson and Heather Voke describes the wide variety of work currently taking place to help youth take action in their schools and communities and to become engaged and effective citizens. To access the entire report go to: http://www.aypf.org/publications/building-an-effective-citizenry.pdf

  July 28, 2003

• A new CIRCLE Fact Sheet, "Characteristics of Group Membership Among Young People,"
  shows that on the whole, politically liberal 18-30 year-olds belong to more groups than politically conservative or politically middle-of-the-road 18-30 year-olds. The Fact Sheet presents a comprehensive picture of group memberships among young people. In particular, differences in political ideology, race and ethnicity, gender and educational attainment among young group members are examined. To read the fact sheet go to: http://www.civicyouth.org/PopUps/characteristics%20of%20group%20members%20f
  act%20sheet.pdf

• The Promise of National Service: A (Very) Brief History Of an Idea by E.J. Dionne, Jr. and Kayla Meltzer Drogosz, June 2003. Abstract: Americans are always for national service-except when we are not. Public rhetoric in the United States has always laid heavy stress on the obligations of citizenship. "With rights come responsibilities." It's a statement that rolls off the tongues of politicians. "Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country." John F. Kennedy's words are so embedded in our civic catechism that the mere mention of the word "service" automatically calls them forth. On Veterans Day and Memorial Day, politicians regularly extol the valor of those "without whose sacrifices we would not enjoy our freedom." Bill Clinton praised the idea of service. George W. Bush now does the same. It is one of the few issues on which our last two presidents agree.

  E.J. Dionne, Jr. is a Brookings Senior Fellow and a columnist at The Washington Post. Kayla Meltzer Drogosz is a Brookings Senior Research Analyst in Governance Studies.

  July 24, 2003

• The Brookings Institution will host "United We Serve: National Service and the Future of Citizenship" on Wednesday, July 30, 2003 in Falk Auditorium. Panelists include Senator John McCain (R-AZ); Leslie Lenkowsky, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service; Jane Eisner of the Philadelphia Inquirer; Will Marshall, president of PPI; and Kayla Meltzer Drogosz, co-editor of United We Serve. Event Moderator: E.J. Dionne, Jr. For more information contact Brookings Communications at 202/797-6105 or communications@brookings.edu

  July 23, 2003

• Rock the Vote has announced the launch of "Chicks Rock, Chicks Vote!", a new partnership to urge young people - especially young women - to register and vote. The "Chicks Rock, Chicks Vote!" goal is to register 100,000 young women in 2003 and hundreds of thousands more in the crucial 2004 election year. It will reach out to young people across America through public service announcements, as well as peer-to-peer voter registration by Rock the Vote Community Street Teams at all Dixie Chicks concerts. Rock the Vote will develop a "Chicks Rock Chicks Vote!" web component on their website, as a forum for young women and all young people to speak out on issues that matter to them. This site also will provide detailed instructions on voting and comprehensive information covering all sides of issues, to arm voters to make their informed vote on Election Day. For more information contact Hans Riemer at hans@rockthevote.com.

  July 22, 2003

• Panel Rejects Extra Funds for AmeriCorps "The House Appropriations Committee refused yesterday to provide AmeriCorps with an extra $100 million the agency says it needs to keep its volunteer ..." by Alan Fram, The Washington Post, July 22, 2003.

• "The Powers of the President" is a new feature on the Dirksen Center's website. Numerous limits placed on the presidency have not been sufficient enough to prevent the powers and role of the president from expanding dramatically over the last two centuries. The trend throughout the 20th century has been to increase presidential powers at the expense of
  Congress.

  - Representing a significant departure from the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution established an executive branch headed by a president. To find resources that will help your students recognize and distinguish the president's formal and informal powers and duties and learn more about the president's role in the executive branch visit the Dirksen Center's web site at http://www.dirksencongressionalcenter.org.
  - Help your students learn more about the powers of the president by introducing the interactive vocabulary practice quiz posted on Congress for Kids. Find "The Powers of the President" at: http://www.congressforkids.net/games/executivebranch/2_execbranch.htm
  - Presidents have signed executive agreements with other countries to conduct foreign policy that do not require Senate action. The Supreme Court ruled that these agreements are within the inherent powers of the president. This month the Dirksen Center's featured project "Presidential-Congressional Relations on International Agreements, 1949-2000," developed by students from Bowling Green State University and the University of Oklahoma that seeks to explain in a systematic fashion why presidents increasingly use executive agreements rather than treaties and the variation in treaty ratification success in the Senate. Learn more about this project and others at: http://www.dirksencenter.org/grantcongresearchaward.htm#Grntrecipient00
  

  July 21, 2003

• Governors Seek More Money for AmeriCorps "A bipartisan group of more than 40 governors today will urge President Bush and Congress to approve $200 million for the beleaguered AmeriCorps program, as Bush and a key House lawmaker indicated that they would not support the emergency funding. Led by Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) and Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell (D), the state executives warn in a letter that AmeriCorps efforts across the country would be "devastated" by the loss of thousands of volunteers engaged in such activities as teaching in urban schools, working with Head Start children and building homes…" by Christopher Lee, The Washington Post, July 21, 2003.

• Wrangle Without Winners "The drama continues for two widely popular proposals caught in the crossfire between the House and the Senate. The fights to protect AmeriCorps, the community service volunteer program, and to give the children of working poor families the same tax break that better-off Americans are getting have come down to power struggles across the Capitol..." by David Broder, The Washington Post, July 20, 2003.
  

  July 18, 2003

• The book "Invisible Citizens: Youth Politics After September 11," is edited by Ganesh Sitaraman and Previn Warren. Written by undergraduates from across the country, it elucidates the worries of a generation, untangles the true reasons for youth disinterest and disengagement with public affairs, and offers America's policymakers, educators, and parents a set of fresh solutions for restoring civic spirit among young people. The book's interpretation of September 11 is an opportunity to inspire youth political engagement and renew widespread civic participation in America or anyone concerned with the future of American politics. Its gripping memoirs and persuasive argument make it a text that cannot be overlooked. "A thoughtful, ground-level view of the single biggest crisis facing our political system: the desertion of the young. We should be paying attention." - Matt Bai, contributing writer, New York Times Magazine "These two bright new talents ask questions that will make the policymakers squirm. Presented in the voices of their peers, Sitaraman and Warren reveal the monumental challenge our leaders face in reconnecting with the youth of America. Is there a politician out there willing to rise to the test?" - Ceci Connolly, The Washington Post.

  July 17, 2003

• The National Constitution Center (http://www.constitutioncenter.org) has received The Civic Mind Award (July 2003) for energizing civic participation. The National Constituion Center is a non-profit organization established by Congress and dedicated to increasing understanding about the Constitution through a museum in Philadelphia which opened July 4, 2003 plus outreach programs and a web site. For more information go to http://www.civicmind.com/wncc.htm.

  July 16, 2003

• On July 14, National Public Radio's Talk of the Nation broadcast "Young People & Politics. " The broadcast featured, among others, a recent college graduate that started Youth Elect, a non-profit that aims to increase political and civic participation among America's young people. To hear the broadcast go to http://discover.npr.org/rundowns/rundown.jhtml?prgDate=07/14/2003&prgId=5.

• YouthElect is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization dedicated to increasing political and civic participation among America's youth by opening up opportunities for their involvement and educating young people on the benefits of political participation. YouthElect is a completely student run organization. YouthElect programs include an annual student conference, various publications, public relation campaigns, legislative advisory boards and even a little lobbying. To find out more about YouthElect go to http://www.youthelect.org.

  July 15, 2003

• NACE is pleased to announce a new section on State Policy and Projects. This section provides updated information and news on legislation and other policies, as well as projects, related to civic education. State Policy and Projects (located at http://www.cived.net/states.html) newest additions feature:

  - The establishment of the Commission to Study the Scope and Quality of Citizenship Education on June 23 by Maine Governor John Baldacci. The Commission must submit a report, including its findings and recommendations and suggested legislation, to the Legislature by December 3, 2003. The Commission is authorized to introduce a bill related to its report to the Legislature.

  - The adoption of new legislation on June 30, 2003 by the North Carolina General Assembly as part of its budget bill that calls for greater civic education activities and programs in middle and high schools. The legislation was a direct response to the North Carolina Civic Education Consortium's release of a statewide civics study, the North Carolina Civic Index, which included a survey of youth and adult civic competencies.

  - The unanimous approval of changes to Arizona's social studies standards, a move pushed by Superintendent Tom Horne. Arizona high school students must now study the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the lasting impact of Greek and Roman civilizations.

  July 14, 2003

• "Sharing the "Spirit of'76" with America's Young People" by Bob Dole and John Glenn, Kansas City Star, July 10, 2003.

  "The genius of America lies in citizen service. When American colonists signed the Declaration of Independence during the summer of 1776 they didn't just pronounce themselves free of English rule, they also created a new kind of civic leadership.

  We tend to view our founding generation as oil portraits and marble busts, but these real, flesh-and-blood people became heroes because they forged a new understanding of citizenship not just for Americans but for millions across the globe. We know the names of Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John and Abigail Adams because they took risks to right wrongs others didn't see or wouldn't act upon.

  How do we make certain the power of this example comes alive in each new generation?…" This article is not available online but NACE has received permission to put it on its website. To read the entire article go to Sharing the "Spirit of'76" with America's Young People.
  

• High School Social Studies Requirements Boosted - "Arizona high school students must now study the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the lasting impact of Greek and Roman civilizations. The state Board of Education on Monday unanimously approved changes to the state's social studies standards, a move pushed by Superintendent Tom Horne..." By Monica Mendoza, The Arizona Republic, July 1, 2003.

  July 11, 2003

• The National Center for Learning and Citizenship at the Education Commission of the States reports that on June 23, Maine Gov. John Baldacci signed House Paper 333, establishing the Commission to Study the Scope and Quality of Citizenship Education. the Commission's duties are to examine the following:
  1. The extent to which citizenship education, including service learning, is currently included in the visions, missions, values and practices of Maine school administrative districts and institutions of higher education;
  2. The extent to which existing preservice and in-service professional development programs for educators address citizenship education;
  3. National models for educational continua that cover preschool through college with the potential for preparing Maine students to be active and engaged citizens; and
  4. Models for involving students and giving them a voice in the governance of our institutions and providing opportunities for student engagement and leadership.

  The Commission must submit a report, including its findings and recommendations and suggested legislation, to the Legislature by December 3, 2003. The Commission is authorized to introduce a bill related to its report to the Legislature. For more information contact, Jeffery J. Miller at 303-299-3665; http://www.ecs.org
  

  July 10, 2003

• Senate Panel Approves More AmeriCorp Aid: Plan Would Restore 20,000 Positions - "The troubled AmeriCorps program would get $100 million to restore 20,000 volunteer slots under a measure approved yesterday by the Senate Appropriations Committee. The money, if approved by Congress and signed into law by President Bush, would rescue hundreds of service programs from unexpected federal funding cuts last month that local leaders said would force them to trim back sharply on staff or close down entirely…" by Christopher Lee, The Washington Post, July 10, 2003.

• The National Forum on Education Policy will be held on July 13-16, 2003 in Denver, Colorado. For more information go to http://www.ecs.org/NationalForum2003.
  

• The Dirksen Center's Congress for Kids - http://www.congressforkids.net - has recently received recognition for design and educational excellence from such organizations as the American Library Association, the "Journal of Homeschooling," ClassBrain.com, FunHouse, and KidsClick!, among others. The Dirksen Center also learned in May that the U.S. Embassy in Russia posts a link to Congress for Kids on its Web site.

  July 8, 2003

• North Carolina passes new civic education bill!

  On June 30, 2003, the North Carolina General Assembly adopted new legislative as part of its budget bill that calls for greater civic education activities and programs in middle and high schools. The legislation was a direct response to the North Carolina Civic Education Consortium's release of a statewide civics study, the North Carolina Civic Index, which included a survey of youth and adult civic competencies. The Index included many measures drawn from CIRCLE's National Youth Survey and The Civic & Political Health of the Nation: A Generational Portrait. While the provisions do not mandate action, the State Board of Education Chairman Howard Lee has committed to carrying out the provisions. Consortium Director Debra Henzey says that the Civic Index results provided critical information that persuaded legislators from both parties to act unanimously on the provisions. When the bill's sponsor, Sen. Joe Sam Queen, ran out of time to get the original bill through both houses, he negotiated with House and Senate leadership to insert the provisions in the budget bill. He has committed to mandating the provisions if the State Department does not act within two years to fully carry out the bill. The key provisions are shown underlined below:

  ENHANCEMENT OF CHARACTER AND CIVIC EDUCATION PROGRAM
  SECTION 7.40.(a) G.S. 115C-81 is amended by adding two new subsections to read:
  "§ 115C-81. Basic Education Program.
  
  (g2) Student Councils. - All high schools and middle schools shall be strongly encouraged to have elected student councils through which students have input into policies and decisions that affect them. All other schools are encouraged to have student councils. The purpose of these student councils is to build civic skills and attitudes such as participation in elections, discussion and debate of issues, and collaborative decision making. Schools shall encourage active, broad-based participation in these student councils.

  (g3) Current Events. - Schools should encourage discussions of current events in a wide range of classes, especially social studies and language arts classes. All high schools and middle schools are encouraged to have at least two classes per grade level to offer interactive current events discussions at least every four weeks."
  
  SECTION 7.40.(b) G.S. 115C-81(h1) reads as rewritten:
  "(h1) In addition to the instruction under subsection (h) of this section, local boards of education are encouraged to include instruction on the following responsibilities:

  (3) Service to others. - Engaging in meaningful service to their schools and their communities. Schools may teach service-learning by (i) incorporating it into their standard curriculum, or (ii) involving a classroom of students or some other group of students in one or more hands-on community-service projects. All schools are encouraged to provide opportunities for student involvement in community service or service-learning projects.

  (4) Good citizenship. - Obeying the laws of the nation and this State; abiding by school rules; and understanding the rights and responsibilities of a member of a republic."
  

  July 7, 2003

• JUST HOW PATRIOTIC ARE WE?- "As America looks forward to a long weekend celebrating its birthday, our thoughts naturally turn to patriotism. In the aftermath of the war in Iraq, and as the first presidential campaign after 9/11 heats up, the subject takes on a new importance.

  The word patriotism means devotion to one's country - love of country. It means that we hold such pride in our communities, and in this nation, that we are willing to stick with them even when we no longer like what they have become, or the direction in which they seem to be going. This story of improvement, of struggle, is central to the American experience. Repeatedly, patriots have stepped forward to say, "I am not going to turn away from my country, but rather I am going to turn my attention to improving this great land." We have seen a long ling of patriots in this tradition - from Martin Luther King, Jr. to Susan B. Anthony to Frederick Douglass, to those who seek to improve their communities each and every day.

  Now, the challenge before us is to exercise a new devotion to public life and politics. It is especially at times like these, when politics and public life may not be to our liking, when it most requires improvement, that our devotion is tested - and most needed.

  How are we meeting that test? How devoted to country is America on its birthday?…." by Richard Harwood, The Harwood Institute.
  

  July 3, 2003

• The American Political Science Association's (ASPA) Political Communication Division and The Annenberg School are holding a free conference just prior to the APSA convention on August 27, 2003 in Philadelphia entitled, "Mass Communication and Civic Engagement." For more information, go to: http://cct.georgetown.edu/apsa/index.html.

• The Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development has moved to their new offices in Takoma Park, Maryland. As of July 1, 2003, they can be reached at: Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development, Suite 502, 6930 Carroll Avenue Takoma Park, MD 20912-4423. Phone 301-270-1700; Fax: 301-270-5900 (fax). Online contact is: http://www.theinnovationcenter.org and Email: info@theinnovationcenter.org.

  July 2, 2003

• The New York Times Learning Network Lesson Plan, developed in partnership with The Bank Street College of Education in New York City, presents "By The People, For the People: Examining Key Elements of Democracy as the System Is Introduced in Iraq." In this one hour lesson plan, based on The New York Times article "America Brings Democracy: Censor Now, Vote Later" by David Rohde, students define what they consider to be key elements of democracy, particularly relating those elements to the cancellation of Iraq's first general election for mayor and related issues of censorship. They participate in a round-table discussion and then develop collages that reflect general themes arising from the discussion. For the complete lesson plan, as well as other information on the site see http://www.nytimes.com/learning/. To read the article, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/featured_articles/20030623monday.html

  July 1, 2003

• The Dirksen Center congratulates teachers from all across the United States for being selected to participate in their national, award-winning education program, Congress in the Classroom 2003. The program is now in its eleventh year and is dedicated to the exchange of ideas and information on teaching about Congress. The Center selected 33 teachers from a total of 189 applications this year. They have invited 13 men and 20 women with classroom experience ranging from first year to 34 years. They also offer the option of taking the online version of the workshop. The option and information or certification can be found at: http://www.congressclass.org. To see a list of this year's participants go to http://www.dirksencenter.org/progcongressinclassroom.htm#participants2003.

  If you have a project and are interested in submitting a grant proposal for the Robert H. Michel Civic Education Grants visit: http://www.dirksencenter.org/grantmichelciviced.htm. The Dirksen Congressional Center intends to award $35,000 in 2004, with May 1 the deadline for proposals. For questions about the Robert H. Michel Civic Education Grants, contact Frank Mackaman at fmackaman@dirksencenter.org