NEWS

Editor’s note: A complete list of participating schools, school systems and lead teachers appears at the end of the release.

Local angles: Ashe, Bertie, Buncombe, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Cumberland, Durham, Edgecome, Guilford, Iredell, Johnston, Martin, New Hanover, Orange, Pitt, Rutherford and Wake counties.

CHAPEL HILL -- As part of a national project, nearly 10,000 students in 22 N.C. high schools will develop plans to improve civic education in their schools. Project 540° will lead to student-led recommendations for each high school to more effectively involve students in their communities and public issues that matter to them.

Project 540° is coordinated nationally by Providence College in Rhode Island, which awarded a grant to the North Carolina Civic Education Consortium in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Government to involve a diverse group of high schools across North Carolina.

"The project is a real challenge in a time of tight budgets and genuine concerns about test scores," said Debra Henzey, consortium executive director. "However, this project will develop state and national recommendations to improve civic education in all high schools. Because we have such a diverse collection of schools involved in the project, we will be able to identify important trends and unique differences within North Carolina and nationally."

Students and teachers at each school are learning to train other students in leading classroom discussions around three major questions:

· What are the public issues that matter most to students?

· What opportunities does the school already provide to learn about and be involved in those issues?

· What action might the school take to improve opportunities for students to learn about and make a difference on those issues?

Feedback from students on these questions will lead to a civic action plan for each high school, developed by a team of students and teachers. Results will be analyzed statewide and nationally as part of the project to identify possible guidelines for high schools.

All materials and training are provided by the Providence College grant, which is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts. Lead teachers receive a small payment to cover planning and training time, "but it is not nearly enough money to reward them for the hard work this project entails," said Gail Chesson, state project coordinator. "The lead teachers and the school administrators who support this project should be commended for taking on such a challenging, yet critical, project."

Henzey said that she expected the civic action plans developed by each school to be unique to the needs of that school and its community. "Some may decide to focus their action plan around one specific issue that is considered vital, while others may select a plan that allows students to be more involved in a wide range of issues. We are excited about the potential for students to leave a legacy for their schools—a way for students today and in the future to be more effective citizens."

Nine other sites around the nation were selected as part of a competitive proposal process that resulted in 72 applications. The UNC consortium’s proposal was one of the few projects accepted that involves a mix of urban, suburban and rural schools, with populations ranging from 250 students to more than 2,000 students.

The consortium is a statewide partnership of organizations committed to revitalizing civic education and civic involvement of young people. The group involves more than 190 different organizations in a wide array of programs in schools and communities. In just five years, the consortium has directly reached at least 30,000 students through small grants, teacher training and other programs. For more information, call 919-962-8389 or see www.civics.org

The UNC School of Government works to improve the lives of North Carolinians by engaging in practical scholarship to help public officials and citizens understand and improve state and local government. The school includes the Institute of Government, established in 1931 to provide teaching, advisory and research support for state and local governments, and the master’s of public administration program. For more information, visit www.iog.unc.edu.

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Contact: Debra Henzey, (919) 962-8273

News Services Contact: Mike McFarland, (919)962-8593