We the People: Project Citizen is a curricular program for middle, secondary, and post-secondary students and adult groups that promotes competent and responsible participation in local and state government. The curriculum fosters support for democratic values and principles, tolerance, and feelings of political efficacy, and it applies learning to real public policy issues of concern.
Students work cooperatively to identify and research a problem in their community, evaluate alternative solutions, develop their own solution in the form of a public policy, and create a political action plan to enlist local or state authorities to adopt their proposal. Participants develop a portfolio of their work and present their project to a panel of civic-minded community members.
The Project Citizen program is administered with the assistance of a national network of state and congressional district coordinators in every state and is conducted with the assistance of the National Conference of State Legislatures. It is sponsored in Virginia by Virginia Civics.
See how Douglas Freeman High School in Richmond, VA, has adapted the Project Citizen program to create its school-wide Project Maverick initiative.
Every senior at Freeman participates in Project Maverick, with small groups of students working together to identify problems, research solutions, and propose public policy plans of action.
Video courtesy of Henrico Schools.
Task 1 - Explaining the Problem
Task 2 - Examining Alternatives
Task 3 - Proposing Policies
Task 4 - Developing an Action Plan
Problem Identification
Constitutional Opinion Form
Interview Form
Letters or Interviews Documentation
Portfolio Criteria Checklist
Media Sources Form
Questions for Reflection
Level 2 Resources by Chapter
Virginia Civics staff are happy to provide in-service training for schools and divisions on an as-requested basis, either in person or online. Trainings can be anywhere from one hour to a full day and can include hands-on projects with all materials included.
There has never been a more important time to empower civics education. Join us in our strategic investment in being the preeminent hub for K-12 civics education in the Commonwealth.
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We're happy to help! For more information about Virginia Civics Coalition, Project Citizen, We the People, and Professional Development cohorts, please contact Amelia Bochain, Virginia Civics Programs Coordinator.
We are always looking for competition volunteers to serve as judges, facilitators, and timers. We also welcome program alumni to join us as a volunteer with competitions, classroom support, and Virginia Civics operations.
