What's New in Civic Education and Youth Civic Engagement Work .... (June 2005 Archive Section)

June 30, 2005


• Job Opportunity Reminder: CIRCLE, University of Maryland
  
  - The University of Maryland School of Public Policy, Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE; www.civicyouth.org ) seeks to hire a Youth Coordinator. Duties include communication of research findings to various practitioners, development of research agenda and outreach strategy, support for fundraising, and frequent travel. Bachelor's degree required; preferred are a masters and three to five years professional experience, including one to two years working in the field of youth civic engagement. Salary commensurate with experience. For full consideration, submit resume, a writing sample and three references by July 8, 2005 to: Demetria Sapienza CIRCLE, School of Public Policy, 2101 Van Munching Hall, University of Maryland, College Park , MD 20742, dsapienz@umd.edu ; FAX: 301-314-1900.

June 28, 2005

• Presidential Academies for the Teaching of American History and Civics [CFDA# 84.215A]

  This U.S. Department of Education program supports the establishment of Presidential Academies for the Teaching of American History and Civics that offer workshops for both veteran and new teachers of American history and civics to strengthen their knowledge and preparation for teaching these subjects (Presidential Academies).
  - Applications Available: June 21, 2005.
  - Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: July 21, 2005
  - Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 5, 2005.
  - Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education (IHEs), museums, libraries, and other public and private agencies, organizations, and institutions (including for-profit organizations) or a consortium of such agencies, organizations, and institutions. Applicants are required to submit in their applications evidence of their organization's demonstrated expertise in historical methodology or the teaching of history.
  - Estimated Available Funds: $700,000.
  - Estimated Range of Awards : $300,000 to $600,000 for each budget period (up to 5 budget periods).  Funding for subsequent years is subject to the availability of funds & the approval of continuation awards (see 34 CFR 75.253).
  - Estimated Number of Awards: 1-2.
  - Additional Information: Applicable regulations, priorities, and other information are available in the Federal Register notice. Or go online: http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/2005-2/062105b.html

  June 27, 2005

• Reminder: Presidential Freedom Scholarships
  - The Presidential Freedom Scholarships are designed to promote student service and civic engagement and honor outstanding service to the community. Maximum Award: $1000. Eligibility: High School Students. Deadline: July 1, 2005. For more information go to:
  http://www.nationalservice.gov/scholarships/

June 24, 2005

• International Symposium on Local E-Democracy July 26-27, 2005 - Minneapolis , MN
  - The International Symposium on Local E-Democracy is a conference exploring leading e-democracy trends around the world. The next day, a field trip to the "wired" chambers of the Minnesota State Legislature and Northfield , Minnesota 's community blogging efforts along with traveling color commentary will bring one of birthplaces of "e-democracy" to life. This is the world's first international conference focused specifically on local e-democracy. If you are interested in improving governance and citizen participation in the information age, this conference is for you. The following panels are being developed:

  - Informed Elections - From e-voting to voter education online - E-Government and Democracy - Leading e-democracy practices in governance and civic education - Local Citizens and Community Online – Citizen e-activism, local blogging, and media online

  The symposium is sponsored by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in the United Kingdom and the UK Local e-Democracy National Project along with other partners. For more information go to: http://dowire.org/localedem ; or sign-up for future conference e-mail updates at: localedem-subscribe@dowire.org .

June 23, 2005

• The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is currently accepting applications for its 2006-2007 fellowship competition.  The application deadline is October 1, 2005.
  
  The Center offers residential fellowships for the entire U.S. academic year (September through May), or for a minimum of four months during the academic year, to individuals in the social sciences and humanities who submit outstanding project proposals on a broad range of national and/or international issues.
  
  Proposed topics should relate to key public policy challenges or provide the historical and/or cultural framework to illumine policy issues of contemporary importance.  For academic applicants, eligibility is limited to the postdoctoral level and, normally, to applicants with publications beyond the Ph.D. dissertation.  For other applicants, an equivalent level of professional achievement is expected.  Applications from any country are welcome. 

  For go information and application go to http://www.wilsoncenter.org/fellowships; e-mail: fellowships@wwic.si.edu ; telephone: 202/691-4170; or fax: 202/691-4001.

  June 22, 2005

• Florida State University 's Center for Civic Education and Service announces an opening for a Service Learning Program Coordinator:

  Overview of Position:
  Service Learning Program Coordinator – full-time position with benefits. Position will work under the supervision of the Director of Service Learning, Center for Civic Education and Service, FSU to assist in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of all service learning services, projects, and activities.  Position will promote service learning and establish partnerships with faculty, community-based agencies, and students.  Position will supervise FSU students who perform as Service Learning Program Assistants.
  
  Requirements:
  Masters degree in appropriate area of specialization or bachelor's degree and two years of experience in education, service learning, community service, or higher education student affairs.  Ability to relate well with faculty, non-profit executives, and college students.  Ability to represent the Service Learning Program persuasively, through excellent written and oral communication skills.  Proficiency in MS Office Suite and Internet use for research purposes.  Knowledge of basic methods of data collection and analysis.

  For more information on the position go to job description, or contact Marsha K. Turner, Ph.D., Director of Service Learning, Service Learning Program, Center for Civic Education and Service, Florida State University, 118 N. Woodward Avenue, Tallahassee, Fl   32306-4180. Phone: 850-644-3174; FAX:  850-644-4193.
  

June 21, 2005

• The following youth voting item has recently been added to the Pew Charitable Trust's web site supporting civic life:
  
  - 06/06/2005 - Ground Is Broken For New Museum and Visitor Center At Gettysburg National Military Park: Members of Pennsylvania Congressional delegation and National Park Service join state and local officials, Gettysburg museum foundation officials and private donors at groundbreaking.

June 20, 2005

• The APSA Political Psychology section will be hosting "Teaching Political Psychology" on Wednesday, August 31, from 1:00pm-5:00pm. The course will cover both undergraduate and graduate classes, and will also include discussion of incorporating political psychology materials into more general political science courses. Attendees will receive a packet with syllabi, reading lists, and tips and techniques. Course leaders will include Deborah Schildkraut (Tufts), Rosalee Clawson (Purdue), Rick Lau ( Rutgers) and Chuck Taber (Stony Brook).
  
  For more information see APSA's web site (SC 4): http://www.apsanet.org/section_518.cfm . Or, contact david-redlawsk@uiowa.edu

June 17, 2005

• The Public Education Network announces the following:

  "Presidential Freedom Scholarships” - These scholarships are designed to promote student service and civic engagement and honor outstanding service to the community. Maximum Award: $1000. Eligibility: High School Students. Deadline: July 1, 2005. http://www.nationalservice.gov/scholarships/

  “Student Volunteerism this Summer” - Volunteerism plays an essential role in our democracy. As summer vacation approaches, it's important to remind students of the value of serving others as a constructive use of their extra time over the summer months. Download free lessons plans to encourage students to get involved in their communities at: http://www.mindoh.com/docs/summer_vacation.pdf

June 16, 2005

• Education Commission of the States has named Florida and Utah as joint winners of the 2005 Frank Newman Award for State Innvation, which recognizes excellence in education policy and policymaking. The award will be presented during The National Forum on Education Policy, July 12-15 in Denver . For more go to: http://www.ecs.org/00CN2578 .

June 15, 2005

• The National Service-Learning Partnership ( http://www.service-learningpartnership.org ) announces that in its third issue of our District Lessons series, Dr. Shelley H. Billig of RMC Research Corporation describes how service-learning supporters can apply research knowledge to advance service-learning at the school district level. District Lessons Number Three: Use Research Knowledge to Advance District-Wide Service-Learning is now available online .

June 14, 2005

• The Service-Learning Advances the online newsletter of the National Service-Learning Partnership announces the following:

  - International Service-Learning Symposium – Call for Presenters. "Service-Learning: Models for the 21st Century: Intercommunity, Interdisciplinary, International" South Africa , Nov. 20-22, 2005. For more information go to: http:www.service-learningpartnership.org/sla.

June 13, 2005

• Impact of Service-Learning on High School Student's Civic Engagement
  - A new CIRCLE study has that found that service-learning students are significantly more likely to say they intend to vote and that they enjoy school. The study, authored by Shelley Billig, Sue Root, and Dan Jesse, suggests that service-learning is effective when it is implemented well, but it is no more effective than conventional social studies classes when the conditions are not optimal. Being implemented well meant that it was of sufficient duration (at least a semester), that it was linked to standards, involved more direct contact with service recipients, and had cognitively challenging reflection activities among other components. The study also showed that service-learning had an effect beyond other active learning techniques. The study compared more than 1,000 high school students who participated in service-learning programs with those who did not participate in schools matched for similar demographics and student achievement profiles. For more go to:
  http://www.civicyouth.org/PopUps/WorkingPapers/WP33Billig.pdf

June 9, 2005

• The Coalition for Community Schools announces "Creating Social Capital for Community Schools." This resource provides the tools and strategies that help to uncover and link the full range of resources represented by a school with the wide variety of assets located in the community. More specifically describes the tools for creating “associational inventories,” and strategies for connecting the strengths of local associations to young people and to schools. For more go to: http://www.communityschools.org .

  June 8, 2005

The Service-Learning Advances the online newsletter of the National Service-Learning Partnership announces several upcoming events and conferences including:

- 2005 Summer Conferences. A variety of conferences held across the nation. - 2005 National Youth Summit “Youth in Action – Making a Difference” to be held in Washington , DC on July 28-30. For more information go to: http:www.service-learningpartnership.org/sla June 7, 2005

• The Civic Engagement News. This electronic newsletter has been published since December, 2000, in association with the Council on Public Engagement (COPE) at the University of Minnesota and previously with the Task Force on Civic Engagement.  This is the last issue of CEN in the attached form, although public engagement efforts will continue to be described on the UMN web site (see http://www.umn.edu/civic ).

  In this issue: 1) Democracy as a mission; 2) Pogo's wisdom; and 3) Strategies for change. To read the entire newsletter go to Civic Engagement News.

  June 6, 2005

Campus Compact's Frank Newman Award (Providence Rhode Island, June 3, 2005. Campus Compact)

Georgetown University and Southern University at New Orleans students Tanisha Douglas and Rachel Williams will become the inaugural recipients of Campus Compact's Frank Newman Leadership Award. The awards will be presented at the Education Commission of the States' National Forum in Denver, Colorado on July 12, 2005.
 
Campus Compact and the Newman family established this award in memory of Frank Newman, co-founder of Campus Compact, who exemplified a life of public service and educational leadership. The award is designed to support and recognize students with financial need who have demonstrated civic leadership through service and scholastic achievement.
 
Recipients will receive $5,000 from Campus Compact and matching funds from their institution for school-related expenses or to support their service work. They will also receive guidance and support from university staff in fulfilling her scholastic, public service, and civic leadership potential during their college years.

Frank Newman was a leader in educational theory and reform. The author of several books, his Report on Higher Education (The Newman Report) stirred national debate in the 1970's. Frank put his ideas into practice as the president of the University of Rhode Island and the Education Commission of the States and later as the founder of the Futures Project at Brown University.
 
To learn more about the Frank Newman Leadership Award go to: http://www.compact.org/newscc/newman_leadership_fund.html

June 3, 2005

• The University of Maine at Augusta is looking for two VISTA volunteers for the 2005-2006 academic year, and Southern Maine Community College and York County Community College are also recruiting.  These AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers would be part of Maine Campus Compact's 9 member VISTA team as well as a 30 member northern New England Campus Compact team.  They are looking for candidates with experience and interest in service-learning and community service. For more information please contact the VISTA Leader at roehrbo@bates.edu or 207-786-8392.

  June 2, 2005

  The following youth voting items have recently been added to the Pew Charitable Trust's web site supporting civic life:
  
  - 05/19/2005 - Under 18 Years Old? That's No Problem, Democrats Say: An article from the Gilroy Dispatch.

  - 05/26/2005 - Census Data Shows Youth Voter Turnout Surged More Than Any Other Age Group: Press release about youth voting rates as it relates to new Census Bureau data.
  
  - 05/26/2005 - '04 Vote Brought Out Young: New article on youth voter turnout in 2004 election.
  
  - 05/26/2005 - Iowa Ranks 3rd in Youth Vote Turnout: An article from the Quad City Times.
  
  - 05/26/2005 - Utah Voter Turnout Among U.S. Highest: An article from the Deseret Morning News.
  
  - 05/27/2005 - Get-Out-Vote Push In Ohio Really Did: An article from the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
  
  - 05/27/2005 - Turnout Soars In 2004 Among Young, Hispanics: An article from News4Colorado.com
  
  - 05/27/2005 - Whites, Blacks Vote in Higher Numbers in 2004 than 2000: An article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  

  June 1, 2005

  AmeriCorps and the Future of National Service - “AmeriCorps, President Clinton's signature New Democrat experiment in national service, has now been up and running for over 10 years....But how effective has AmeriCorps been in meeting the country's needs; in mobilizing volunteers; in providing educational opportunities for its participants; and in instilling an ethic of civic responsibility? And what is the future of national service in this country? These are the questions asked and answered in a new book released by the Progressive Policy Institute on Monday, May 23, at a National Press Club Forum, "The AmeriCorps Experiment and The Future of National Service." Edited by PPI President Will Marshall and former PPI analyst Marc Porter Magee, this book provides a comprehensive and honest assessment of AmeriCorps over its first four years; an overview of national service initiatives in other countries; and a series of imaginative essays about how AmeriCorps might serve as a springboard to a broader national service effort.” May 19, 2005, New Democratic Discourse.

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