Civics and Citizenship Junior
After more than 15 years of leading our Civics and Citizenship programs at the high school level, we were excited to translate it for a younger audience! Our pilot middle school program took place during the 2021-22 school year in Baltimore County, and we are planning to expand the program to serve middle schoolers across the Washington-Baltimore area.
Civics and Citizenship Junior covers the same themes as Civics and Citizenship, but through the lens of personal growth and the development of life skills. The goal of C&C Junior is to help youth develop skills and attitudes that will serve them throughout their lives. By starting our work with immigrant youth before they reach high school, we have the opportunity to educate and prepare them for obstacles that they will face and for decisions they will make that will determine their futures.
Over the course of the school year, C&C Junior will host sessions covering three key areas: civic engagement, career awareness, and high school preparedness, with an all-encompassing vision of building confidence and a go-getter attitude. The program is taught bilingually in English and Spanish to ensure that our youth fully grasp the information being shared and feel capable of both asking and answering questions. Surrounded by a community of immigrant peers, these students will build self-awareness and confidence, empowering them to reach their full potential.
Program Updates
We successfully wrapped up our fall semester of programs in December! This fall, the Civics & Citizenship Junior at Odessa Shannon Middle School in Montgomery County, MD, was visited by many notable guest speakers. During one of their sessions, they were visited by Edwin Santos, co-founder of Paving the Path, a mentoring program for first-generation college students. Mr. Santos talked about his experiences with public speaking and how he overcame his fear of speaking to large audiences. He also spoke to them about the importance of sharing your story and how you never know what impact your words may have on those listening. Afterwards, students got the opportunity to write and share their story to the class, practicing their public speaking skills and getting feedback. Many of our students shared powerful stories about what their first day in the U.S. was like and some even challenged themselves to recite it in English!
Edwin Santos, from Paving the Path, speaking with youth from Odessa Shannon Middle School