June 2017 Newsletter

News from the Center for Civic Education

Support Civic Education as a Friend of We the People, Results from the We the People National Finals and Invitational, and More in This Month's Newsletter.

Are You a Friend of We the People?

Show your pride in being a supporter of We the People. By signing up as a Friend of We the People, you will receive a newsletter and occasional requests for assistance with information on how to help us. For example, you might be asked to contact your member of Congress to solicit support for the funding of student participation in the We the People competition at state and national levels. You might also be asked by your We the People state coordinator to help in gaining state-level support for the program or to volunteer. Sign up.

Maggie Walker Governor's School Places First in We the People National Finals

The Center for Civic Education celebrated 30 years of the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution program with the 2017 We the People National Finals, held April $emdash1 on Capitol Hill and at a new location: the National Conference Center in Leesburg, Virginia.

Fishers Junior High School Takes Top Honors at the We the People National Invitational

More than 250 middle school students from across the country competed in the Fifth Annual We the People National Invitational, held April $emdash2 1.

Quick Quiz! Which president proposed the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 1960?

a. Dwight D. Eisenhower
b. John F. Kennedy
c. Lyndon B. Johnson
d. Andrew Johnson

Read on to find out the answer!

JMLP Teachers Score High on Test of Civic Knowledge

A preliminary analysis done by Dr. Diana Owen and her team at Georgetown University has found that students of teachers who completed James Madison Legacy Project professional development scored higher on a test of civic knowledge than a control group. More than 1,300 teachers have received professional development in the first two years of the James Madison Legacy Project, benefiting approximately 50,000 students in 46 states and the District of Columbia.

House Resolution Supports Civic Education

Congressman Joe Wilson of South Carolina recently introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives supporting civic education in primary and secondary schools. The resolution calls on states and local governments to "develop, implement, and strengthen programs and curriculum to teach civics, government, and American history at the elementary and secondary school levels."

Quiz Answer: A. Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Civil Rights Act of 1957 created the Civil Rights Section of the Department of Justice and gave federal prosecutors authority to seek court orders to prohibit interference with the right to vote.  The act also created the Civil Rights Commission to investigate discrimination. The Civil Rights Act of 1960 was proposed by President Eisenhower in response to bombings of black churches and schools in the South. It extended the life of the Civil Rights Commission and contained penalties against those who interfered with the right to vote..

Richard Clark Teacher Receives Excellence in Education Award

Reno High School We the People teacher Richard Clark was recently presented with an Excellence in Education award by NBC affiliate News 4. Clark and his We the People state champions competed in the We the People National Finals this April.

Civitas Bosnia and Herzegovina Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Project Citizen Finals Showcase

Nearly four hundred students, teachers, and young artists participated in the 20th annual Project Citizen Finals in Bosnia and Herzegovina this year, presenting public policy portfolios that represented thirty-five elementary and high schools. The event was hosted by Civitas Bosnia and Herzegovina (Civitas BiH$emdash3 Civitas International Programs $emdash4 well as the U.S. Embassy Sarajevo Office for Public Affairs and the state government Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Did You Know: The Center's 60-Second Civics recently celebrated its 2,900th episode. The daily podcast is a great way to warm up your civics classroom. You can play 60-Second Civics in class and use the Daily Civics Quiz to test your students' knowledge. Best of all, each episode is always available online and is free of advertising.

Video Profiles ACETA Award Winner Jose Flores

This video from PBS affiliate KVIE profiles civics teacher Jose Flores of California's Brawley Union High School. Flores received the American Civic Education Teacher Award in 2015 and is a James Madison Legacy Project teacher.

Victoria Bull Named 2017 Colorado Civic Educator of the Year

We the People teacher Victoria Bull was recently presented with the 2017 Governor's Award: Colorado Civic Educator of the Year on behalf of Governor John Hickenlooper. The award is sponsored by Civic Canopy.