News Release

Local angles: Anson, Beaufort, Columbus, Lee, Mecklenburg, Randolph, Richmond, Scotland and Wake counties

UNC consortium supports projects
to enhance youth civic engagement

CHAPEL HILL - The North Carolina Civic Education Consortium, a program of the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, announced Wednesday (Jan. 10) the recipients of its Small Grants program awards, which support various youth civic engagement projects.

Through the program, which is funded by Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation in Winston-Salem, the consortium has supported ten collaborative projects designed to improve engagement in communities across the state.

Projects in Anson, Beaufort, Columbus, Lee, Mecklenburg, Randolph, Richmond, Scotland and Wake counties received awards ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. The money will fund a variety of hands-on learning experiences, internships and training sessions.

"We are very proud of our partnership with Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation on the Small Grants program," said Kelley O'Brien, director of the consortium. "The program provides much-needed funding for local organizations to develop programs that increase youth civic engagement in North Carolina's communities."

The 2007 recipients of the Small Grants program awards are listed below by county and denoted by asterisk where cross-listed:

Anson
The Administrative Office of the Courts, the managerial arm of the North Carolina judicial branch, received $2,500 to engage students in Anson and Richmond counties in the production of a video on constitutional law concepts.*

Beaufort
Beaufort County Schools received $6,000 to support the Tiger Tales program at John Cotton Tayloe School in Washington. Second-grade students will produce their own school newspaper and closed-circuit television news broadcast.

Columbus
Columbus County received $5,000 to sponsor an internship program to provide students with real-world experiences in the process of applying, interviewing and obtaining a job in the local government sector.

Lee
The City of Sanford and Lee County received $6,200 to sponsor the youth-led development of a Youth Council.

Mecklenburg
Kids Voting Mecklenburg County, a civics advocacy group, received $5,100 to launch a program that will introduce 75 high school students and 25 teachers to the fundamentals of local government, the local legal system and the media.

Randolph
Northeastern Randolph Middle School received $1,700 to fund the annual "Visions Civic Mission Project." Students participate in community service and work with Victory Junction Gang Camp, a special place for children with health-care needs, to make quilts and pillows for campers.

Richmond
The Administrative Office of the Courts, the managerial arm of the North Carolina judicial branch, received $2,500 to engage students in Anson and Richmond counties in the production of a video on constitutional law concepts.*

Scotland
Scotland County Schools received $10,000 to fund a "Scholars Serve" project, which provides after-school students in grades kindergarten through eight the opportunity to design and implement community service projects.

Wake
Action for Children North Carolina, based in Raleigh, received $5,000 to develop a "Youth Advocacy Tool Kit," which will provide youth advocates with tools for promoting self-advocacy and addressing societal issues.

El Pueblo Inc. of Raleigh received $8,500 for its Latino Youth Fellows program. Ten fellows will shadow Latino advocates and professionals, learn the role of non-profit agencies and community leaders in community building, and conduct peer trainings on civics and advocacy.

The North Carolina Agricultural Foundation Inc. at North Carolina State University received $10,000 to develop a statewide program that will engage two teens from each county in identifying and addressing local issues affecting their communities.

Pending funding from Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, the consortium offers Small Grants annually. The availability of grants is announced in the summer, and applications are due in early fall. For more information on the Small Grants program and other consortium initiatives, visit www.civics.org.

Founded in 1997, the consortium is a statewide, nonpartisan initiative that strives to prepare North Carolina's young people for active, responsible citizenship while inspiring public service and engagement throughout the state.

The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation was established in 1936 as a memorial to the youngest son of the founder of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. Its focus areas are community-building and economic development, the environment, governance, public policy and civic engagement, pre-collegiate education, and social justice and equity.

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School of Government contact: Christie Hinson, (919) 962-8389, hinson@sog.unc.edu