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Patrick’s students explore natural rights with Civic Star Challenge

Posted on by Sophie Gordon

Recently, my political science class participated in the Civic Star Challenge. Jumping off the iCivics Enlightenment Mini-Lesson, we took on the idea of natural rights. Now I admit that, as with many civics concepts, the subject can come across as very dry. But after defining the Lockean approach, I threw it to the students: “What does it mean to be free?”

It’s a question teenagers are rarely asked.

I’m lucky to engage in spirited discussion with my adult colleagues. Fun fact: I’m also a graduate of Hazard High School. And I remember what it’s like to be sitting in class, thinking about where I might fit into my town and the world beyond. I was able to push my students to consider this, as well, using the iCivics graphic organizer and reflection activities (log in to view these resources). This mindset proved key to getting them talking.

“What does the right to life, liberty, and property mean to you?”

One student immediately focused on healthcare: “If we have the right to life, then doesn’t that mean we also have a right to healthcare?” Another identified the Second Amendment: “Liberty means that I have the right to my firearms, right?” (We live in rural Kentucky, and hunting is a popular pastime, of course!)

Pretty soon, the students were discussing the topic like the philosophers of the Enlightenment. Sure, the vocabulary was different. But there was something kindred in the spirited exchange of ideas. I reminded them that all the great figures across time and history were, on one level, just regular people—regular people who went on to do extraordinary things.

When we treat politics as if it were a sport and become obsessed with crushing the other side, it can become easy to lose sight of the fact that we are all living, breathing humans worthy of dignity and respect. We’re a school of just 300 students, and each one has so much heart. If something happens within our community, the response is all hands on deck. Bobby Jo from down the street may have a different political opinion from you, but she’s your neighbor, and she will bring you an apple pie when you get sick. We may have different opinions, but we can still care about each other. We have to hold both of those things at once. My students have shown me that they are eminently capable of that.

About Patrick:

  • Teaching Experience: 6 years
  • Currently teaching: World History, U.S. History (regular and dual credit), and Political Science/Civics

Born and raised in Perry County, KY, Patrick is passionate about identifying and building connections between Appalachian Kentucky, the rest of the Commonwealth, and the wider world for his students. He also serves as a Regional Network Lead in the University of Kentucky-Jewish Heritage Fund Holocaust Education Initiative (UK-JHF HEI) and a steering committee member of the Kentucky Council for the Social Studies (KCSS).

High Schoolers use Private i Lesson to Teach Kindergarteners

Posted on by Sophie Gordon

For elementary teachers, time is precious. How and what they teach is constantly balanced between the important and the urgent. Oftentimes, social studies is pushed aside—taught only if there’s time left in the day. But there’s a lot elementary teachers can do to teach civics and promote good civic practices. It doesn’t have to be limited to lessons about presidents, checks and balances, or the Constitution. Being an engaged citizen often starts with a question—and through iCivics’ Private i History Detectives curriculum, students in grades K–5 get a solid foundation on what it means to be a good citizen.

In an effort to embrace and engage younger students in the democratic process, my AP Government & Politics students built civic engagement lessons using iCivics’ Private i units. Last June, three students—Lyla, Rachel, and Desi—visited a kindergarten class at the Slaybaugh School in Egg Harbor Township. The goal was simple, yet challenging: the high school students needed to build a lesson that had a civic component without being obviously partisan or too difficult for the kindergarteners to grasp.

The AP Government students found the lesson cleverly designed. Framed as a detective story, it asks students to investigate what makes a good leader. My high schoolers first went through the lesson themselves and then adapted it into an interactive, age-appropriate activity for their younger buddies. Rachel, one of the seniors, said, “I liked how the resources can be used for all ages. My friends and I could play in class, or I could use it to teach the little kids.”

The senior team simplified the content, created visuals, acted out leadership scenarios, and led discussions with the kindergarteners about what it means to be kind, fair, and responsible.

Watching my students take ownership of the material and find ways to connect it to five-year-olds was a powerful teaching moment. It gave them a chance to reflect on leadership traits in a deeper, more personal way and reinforced the idea that civic values can—and should—be taught at every age.

The kindergarteners were fully engaged—asking questions, pointing out good (and not-so-good) leader behavior, and even coming up with their own “classroom leader” rules. The partnership between older and younger students added a level of connection and mentorship that went far beyond a traditional classroom lesson.

Lyla told me that what she liked most about the experience was the early exposure to civics—without it being explicitly labeled as “civics.” She said, “I liked how the Private i resource made it easy for the kindergarteners to begin building knowledge and establish good habits about civics and leadership at a young age.”

iCivics has always done a great job of making civics accessible and engaging, but this experience using Private i: What Makes Someone a Good Leader? in a cross-age teaching format was exceptional. In just one hour, the kindergarten students learned a lot about leadership, developed civic learning skills, and came together as one classroom community.

If you’re an elementary teacher new to using iCivics, I highly recommend the Private i lessons to foster leadership, empathy, and a sense of civic responsibility across age groups.

Written by Michael Martirone

Michael Martirone teaches AP Government & Politics and World Cultures at Egg Harbor Township High School in New Jersey. He is also an adjunct professor at Richard Stockton University. In 2016, Michael was a finalist for the New Jersey State Teacher of the Year, and in 2020, he was named the Gilder Lehrman History Teacher of the Year for the state of New Jersey. He has been a member of the iCivics Educator Network since 2017.

Through the iCivics Educator Network, the perspectives of teachers across the country contribute to the public conversation about civic education in the United States. Each contributor represents their own opinion. We welcome this plurality of perspectives.

We Can Teach Hard Things Like Due Process

Posted on by Sophie Gordon

You’re a social studies teacher, and it’s time to teach due process. Unless you’ve been living in a cave or severely limiting your media diet (which is hardly an unreasonable habit), then alarm bells may be starting to go off in your head. Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered.

As always, the first thing you want to do is consult your state standards. Let’s use an example.

To pick a state, I decided to throw a dart at the map on my office wall. Unfortunately, it’s a world map from 1986, and I’m bad at darts, so it landed on Czechoslovakia. Let’s go with California, since that also starts with a C. Sorry, Colorado. You, too, Connecticut.

Exhibit A. Evidence of Emma’s super below-average dart-throwing abilities, which has been leveraged in defense of my husband’s new rule that “Emma is not allowed to throw darts in the house”. I checked, and the rule does not apply to the kids or the dog, so I’m filing an appeal on strict scrutiny grounds.

Here’s what Standard 8.2.6 for Grade Eight United States History and Geography: Growth and Conflict in the History-Social Science Content Standards for California Public Schools says: Students analyze the political principles underlying the U.S. Constitution and compare the enumerated and implied powers of the federal government.

  1. Enumerate the powers of government set forth in the Constitution and the fundamental liberties ensured by the Bill of Rights

Here’s what Standard 12.5.1 for Grade Twelve Principles of American Democracy and Economics says: Students summarize landmark U.S. Supreme Court interpretations of the Constitution and its amendments.

  1. Understand the changing interpretations of the Bill of Rights over time, including interpretations of the basic freedoms (religion, speech, press, petition, and assembly) articulated in the First Amendment and the due process and equal-protection-of-the-law clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment

We’ve got the standards! We’re making progress. Now, it’s time to craft the perfect lesson plan.

But first, remember when I said that you’re allowed to turn off “Breaking News” notifications on your devices? I meant it, but I can’t help but share with you these wild “due process-related” headlines:

  • Man claiming to be a U.S. citizen held for deportation (Ng Fung Ho v. White)
  • President signs order forcing all people from a certain country to report to detention camps (Korematsu v. United States)
  • Florida man denied counsel in misdemeanor case; sentenced to 5 years state prison (Gideon v. Wainwright)

You’re probably on to me. You know these are historical headlines, not current ones. Here’s the thing: you and I both know the overwhelming majority of our students couldn’t tell us if these things happened yesterday or over 100 years ago, as is the case with the first bullet point. That presents an opportunity to “Use historical examples instead of current ones.”

Based on the direction I’m taking here, this presents an opportunity to “Use primary sources, secondary readings, and/or digital media as ‘grounding texts.’” Here are some I recommend, although please don’t think you need to use all of them!

Primary Sources

  • The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution; Article 1. Section 9 of the Constitution
  • Supreme Court decisions in Ng Fung Ho v. White, Korematsu v. United States, and Gideon v. Wainwright

Secondary Sources

Educational Media

As students learn about and evaluate historical examples, it’s only natural that they make comparisons to the present day and current events. That’s perfectly fine, and brings us to another piece of We Can Teach Hard Things guidance: Build compare and contrast skills by asking students to distinguish current events as typical or not typical.

How is what they’re seeing today similar to or different from the way things have unfolded historically? That said, be sure to help students identify unfair or false comparisons. A controversy today may evolve very differently from the way it would have appeared to evolve in the past, but are we truly comparing two identical episodes? What makes them similar? In what ways are they different?

Also, be cautious of complex Supreme Court decisions that involve multiple holdings or holdings that may have been reversed or weakened by subsequent decisions.

And lastly, if a student raises their hand and says something to the effect of, “Aren’t we deporting people now without hearings or trials?” or “I heard the government is putting everyone who looks Hispanic in detention camps. Is that true?” I encourage you to refer back to the guidance we provided in our previous blog post on teaching about the separation of powers. The great part about that guidance is that it’s content agnostic! No matter what the student’s question is, assuming it’s not grossly inappropriate, it is always appropriate to acknowledge and address it at a later time.

Admin Tip: Take a look at your state standards related to due process. This will give you confidence in your ability to field any inquiries or challenges from off-campus stakeholders. As always, tell your social studies teachers you are there to support them!

Jessica transports students to American Revolution through Civic Star Challenge

Posted on by Sophie Gordon

Our school is nestled in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, and it’s a real hub of the community — it seems like nearly everyone’s mom, dad, or grandparent works as a teacher, bus driver, or secretary. We graduate about 120 students a year, and I’ve known most of them since birth. Though we’re rural, we’re far from isolated. Travel is a passion of mine, and I’ve shared it with students through fellowships and trips: from meeting Gen. Colin Powell in D.C. to studying in France. And soon my students will be part of Senator John Boozman’s youth cabinet in Little Rock.

Still, some of the most transporting experiences happen right in my classroom. That’s what the Civic Star Challenge is all about. When we learn about the American Revolution, I try to turn my class into a time machine.

That starts by challenging the students to walk in the shoes of colonists. We learn about what they wore, how they created their clothes, and even how they brushed their teeth. We also learn colonial era dances! Then we create life-sized portraits of Federalists and Anti-Federalists. The students trace their bodies on giant pieces of paper, then complete the portrait. Students are able to see – and feel – history come to life. Rather than it just being something listed in a book, they can imagine what it’s like to be these people.

From there, we talk more about what it would be like to experience the tumult of the Revolution first-hand. In one class, we took all the events of the American Revolution and they had to write a text to their friend explaining what was going on:

Guess I won’t be sending letters anytime soon. #quittaxingus (Stamp Act, 1765)

The water in the Boston Harbor smells like chamomile! #ThrowTheCratesOverboard #TeaParty (Boston Tea Party, 1773)

The Treaty of Paris has been signed! #NewCountryWhoDis (Treaty of Paris, 1783)

Students are often tempted to parrot back the definitions and explanations they find in their textbooks. While that type of learning is important, I find it’s crucial to find ways for the students to make civics their own. I often say, “You have to say it in your own words or it doesn’t count.” Last week, we spent a whole class decoding the Preamble to the Constitution. Actually, they did the decoding. I stood in the back of the room while the students parsed those 52 words and came up with their own version:

We, in the USA, want a better country.

We will have fair laws.

We will have a peaceful country.

We will have a military to take care of our people.

We will care for our people.

We want to bless the future people.

Now we will put the rules down for this country.

We also find ways to engage the system directly. Each year, the students research Arkansas’s D.C.-based elected officials. They’ll write them letters. And, soon after, the officials will write them back. It’s always so exciting to watch the students hold the Capitol Building stationery up to the light to see the watermark. From there, we’ll set up a call on Zoom – again, I’ll stay at the back of the classroom and let the students run the show. And that’s where I really see the impact of civics learning: students understand how to both model and participate in respectful civic engagement. Even when they disagree with their elected officials, they speak thoughtfully and respectfully, grounded in the work we’ve done together.

After the call, there’s always a buzz in the classroom. The students say, “Wow, I can’t believe this person knows me!” It’s representative democracy in action, and proof that their voice matters.

About Jessica

  • Teaching experience: 23 years in Arkansas public schools
  • Currently teaching: High school Civics/Economics and concurrent college credit history courses

The Gilder Lehrman 2024 History Teacher of the Year for Arkansas, Jessica is the president-elect of the Arkansas Council for the Social Studies and has worked with a number of educational organizations from across the country. She is passionate about educational travel, community engagement, civic involvement, and rural education; she looks forward to completing her doctorate at the University of Arkansas in the spring of 2026.

Bill of Rights Institute and iCivics Announce First Round of Winners in Civic Star Challenge, a Nationwide A250 Initiative

Posted on by Sophie Gordon

Sixty-three educators have been awarded $300 each for integrating themes from the Declaration of Independence into their teaching in the lead-up to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

WASHINGTON, DC [November 10, 2025] The Bill of Rights Institute and iCivics have named the first round of winners of the Civic Star Challenge, a nationwide initiative to inspire millions of acts of civic learning in the lead-up to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The Civic Star Challenge makes the teaching of the Declaration of Independence digestible and relatable to today’s youth by providing educators with a repository of adaptable lesson plans and activities that teach the key themes of the founding document. The resources are available at civicstarchallenge.org. Once educators have taught at least one of 11 themes, they can submit a log of their activities for a chance to win from a cash prize pool totaling more than $200,000.

The Challenge includes four rounds of random drawings, each awarding $300 to selected teachers, and an essay contest that has a $10,000 grand prize for the winning teacher’s school district.

The Civic Star Challenge is made possible through generous support from Griffin Catalyst, civic engagement initiative of Citadel Founder and CEO Ken Griffin; the Stand Together Trust; and The Pedersen Foundation.

Today, the 63 winners of the first round of drawings have been announced. The teachers represent more than 25 states.

“The Civic Star Challenge honors the educators who keep America’s founding principles alive in their classrooms,” said David Bobb, President and CEO of the Bill of Rights Institute. “Their work reminds us that civic knowledge and virtue are essential to sustaining liberty for the next generation and to helping students see their role in preserving a free society.”

“The celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is an incredible moment to engage in the teaching of our founding documents and in civic education in general – and this has never been more critical,” iCivics CEO Louise Dubé said. “We’re proud to be able to reward teachers for their efforts to connect the themes and ideals from the Declaration to the present.”

The winners are listed below:

Meredith Baker

Andrea Bauck

Jason Bennett

Nicole Bloodgood

Laura Bowersox

Patricia Capobianco

Stacey Clark

Allison Collie

Rachel Cox

Jessica Culver

Scott Cvelbar

Deborah Damboise

Marin Fairbanks

Taneeta Fair

Lauren Feld

Kristina Fischer

Jami Forrester

Randall Furash-Stewart

Jayme Gafford

Nicole Gasparik

Heaven Gomez

Andrew Gordon

Donna Gustafson

Evelyn Homan

Jeanette Hooks

Andrew Hutchinson

Andrea Jandt

Lindsay Kahoe

Samantha Keaton

Bridget Kaiser-Munday

Kennady Longhurst

Jeffrey Maendel

Laura McFarren

Amanda Meyer

Austin Migoski

Lindsay Miller

Katrina Neubrandt

Rachel Newman

Jackie Osborne

Beth Oswald

Michelle Palmer

Patrick Pavelchik

Victoria Pierce

Samantha Rumbaugh

Amanda Runkel

Anne Schmitt

Tiffany Smith

Tracy Son

Donna Stark

Adeline Steger

Adam Sturm

John Suter

Rachel Tate

Hailey Thomas

Deborah Torrens

Sam Westerdale

Holly Wittwer

Daryl Workman

Bryon Wren

Kymberli Wregglesworth

Nicole Wright

Blanche Wulfekoetter

Greg Yarnall

Teaching with The Constitution EXPLAINED

Posted on by Sophie Gordon

iCivics resources have proved invaluable to every one of my social studies classes, from Civics to African American Studies, to my dual enrollment courses in American Government. Supporting students in their learning about the Constitution is no easy task, as there is so much to cover in a semester course regarding all things civics (as I’m sure many other educators can empathize with—especially those who teach AP Government in a semester, you’re rockstars!). One resource that I would highly recommend to support students in their learning is the Constitution EXPLAINED video series. The videos provide a solid foundation in teaching the big ideas of complex constitutional thinking.

The Constitution EXPLAINED videos that teach the three branches of government are required content resources in my classes because they effectively summarize and condense the big ideas in just a small handful of minutes. For example, when teaching the Legislative Branch, there are numerous videos to select from to support students, one of my favorites being The Do’s and Don’ts of Congress. This is because it provides a solid understanding of the powers and limitations of Congress, while also giving students an opportunity to critically think for themselves about how they think Congress should act by asking, “Do you think the Elastic Clause has been stretched so far that it gives Congress too much power?” Without even having to ask, my first hour automatically launched into their own small group discussions, and it was wonderful to watch.

Whether they were making connections to what they’ve learned so far in class, in other classes, or with current events, the students all seemed very ecstatic to share what they believe. It’s also a conversation I know I can easily revisit, as they really enjoyed their time processing ideas or concepts they would like to see in their lives regarding the ‘dos and don’ts’ of Congress, which is impressive for their age. I love seeing this type of learning come from a resource that is less than 3 minutes long because it turned into a 10-minute conversation, and I’m sure it could have gone on for the rest of the period as well. Each class responded a little bit differently, had different suggestions on what implied powers Congress should or shouldn’t have in a modern society, and had questions on how to create changes within Congress’s power, as well as the other branches of government.

From the educator point of view, the supports that come with each video are also fantastic. The transcripts for each video allow me to provide supports for students with different learning abilities and students who are multilingual learners. The Teacher’s Guide explains how to create a lesson from the video, including vocabulary supports, guiding questions, and learning supports, which are also written in Spanish. There’s even a Claim, Evidence, Reasoning prompt that I plan to use when I teach with these resources next semester, where “students work in pairs to find examples of when the Elastic Clause was used in history. Students should find evidence to support the claim that the use of the Elastic Clause increased Congress´s power. Students can then prepare a one-minute speech explaining their reasoning. They can record their speeches (video or audio) and use visuals for support.” This is a great example of how iCivics provides scaffolds for both new and seasoned educators alike, and offers educators a way to think about teaching differently in the future while also increasing the rigor of their students’ constitutional thinking within our current reality.

Written by Sam Westerdale

Sam Westerdale is in her 14th year of teaching high school social studies in Aurora, Colorado, with classes in Civics and African American Studies. With the support of a James Madison Fellowship awarded in 2018, she earned a master’s in Political Science and also teaches dual enrollment classes in American Government, State & Local Government, and Introduction to Political Science. Sam is a member of the iCivics Ednet Teacher Network, the National Constitution Center’s Advisory Council, and is a Retro Report Teacher Ambassador. She is also a Board Director for the Colorado Council of the Social Studies, a member of the Civics for Colorado Coalition, and supports and trains student teachers through a local university. Sam has a strong passion for creating connections for her students on how to be involved in their community through a rigorous and culturally responsive civics background, along with what it means to support and care for others in an ever-changing world.

Through the iCivics Educator Network, the perspectives of teachers across the country contribute to the public conversation about civic education in the United States. Each contributor represents their own opinion. We welcome this plurality of perspectives.

Thomas B. Griffith

Posted on by icivics

Thomas B. Griffith served on the U. S. Court of Appeals for the D. C. Circuit — often referred to as “the second most important court in the land” — for fifteen years. Before that he was the nonpartisan chief lawyer for the U. S. Senate and the General Counsel at Brigham Young University. President Biden appointed Judge Griffith to his Commission on the Supreme Court. Currently, Judge Griffith is a Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School, works closely with Utah Governor Spencer Cox on his Disagree Better initiative, and is a member of the Board of Directors of iCivics.

Posted in Bio

Matthew Botvinick

Posted on by icivics

Matthew Botvinick is Senior Director of Research and Senior Technology and Policy Advisor at Google DeepMind. He joined DeepMind in 2016 after twenty years in academia, starting with a Ph.D. in the Neural Basis of Cognition from Carnegie Mellon University, followed by faculty positions at University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University. Botvinick has authored more than 150 peer reviewed articles, spanning AI, deep learning, reinforcement learning, cognitive science and computational neuroscience. Botvinick holds an M.D. degree from Cornell University with board certification in Psychiatry. Alongside his work at Google DeepMind, he is currently a Resident Fellow at Yale Law School.

Posted in Bio

Barbara Jenkins

Posted on by icivics

Barbara Jenkins, Ed.D., has been dedicated to serving the needs of students for more than 30 years. In 2012 she was named superintendent for Orange County Public Schools (OCPS), the eighth largest district in the nation, proudly serving 206,000 students. She retired from OCPS in December 2022.

Under Jenkins’ leadership, the district won the prestigious Broad Prize for Urban Education.  The district also received the Governor’s Sterling Award and attained District Accreditation from AdvancED for its best practices in the education field.  The Sustained Excellence Award was attained for exemplary performance using research-based best practices in business. The district passed a second half-penny sales tax referendum for capital projects totaling $2.4 billion and two property tax referenda for operations projected at $1.2 billion to support a $5.5 billion annual budget.  Most importantly, the district reached an unprecedented graduation rate of 97% for traditional high schools during her tenure.

A highly recognized education leader, Jenkins received a presidential appointment to the National Board of Education Sciences in 2017 and received the Baldridge Foundation Award for Leadership Excellence in 2022.  She has served as Chairman of the Board for the Council of Great City Schools, representing the nation’s large urban districts.  Jenkins is a Chief in Residence and leader of the Women in Leadership initiative of Chiefs for Change, a national bipartisan group of district and state education leaders dedicated to the success of our nation’s youth. Jenkins also serves on the board of trustees and chairs the audit committee for ETS, the world’s largest private nonprofit educational testing and assessment organization.

Deeply engaged in the community, Jenkins has served on the boards of Advent Health, Orlando Economic Partnership, United Arts of Central Florida, Central Florida Regional Commission on Homelessness and the Orange County Youth Mental Health Commission. Jenkins is a graduate of the University of Central Florida.

Posted in Bio

Luke Selover

Posted on by Sophie Gordon

When Luke Selover, a humanities teacher at Capitol Hill Day School in Washington, D.C., discovered the Students Engage lesson plan from iCivics, he saw more than a classroom activity—he saw a model for empowerment.

“There is this lesson that I found in my second or third year of teaching, and I just thought the bones of it was so cool,” Selover said. “We essentially created an entire project based on Students Engage, where students propose changes to our school.”

Each year, Selover’s students identify issues they want to improve and present research-based proposals to school leaders. They create action steps and develop an explanation for why these improvements are needed.

“Some of them get approved; some of them don’t,” Selover said. “We’ve been able to enact some really cool changes, and it’s been great practice for them to advocate for things that they want to see and change in the school.”

One early project expanded the school community. In 2021, the school only had a couple of student groups that met regularly. Students recognized the need for more student unions and clubs that reflected the plurality of viewpoints at the school. They proposed adding more affinity groups after seeing the impact of the Black Student Union, and the school’s community has grown to include clubs for young men, neurodivergent students, Latino students, and many more.

“All of that came from this push from the students—‘Hey, we want a space to meet in these different groups,’” he said. “We were able to create all these different affinity groups and give people space to be in affinity with others.”

Another project tackled something close to every student’s heart: lunchtime. Students argued that outdoor lunch would simplify cleanup, extend recess, and improve focus later in the day. The idea stuck, and students are now able to eat outside when the weather is good.

Most recently, students turned their attention to improving their shared learning environment. They spoke to their peers and discovered that noise from transitions and limited access to water were persistent sources of frustration. After doing research and considering roadblocks, like budget and classroom needs, students proposed practical solutions: a noise-blocking curtain and a water bottle filler to replace the water fountain. They even researched pricing and created diagrams illustrating how the space could be altered. 

“I was really proud of this group,” Selover said. “I think the water filler is happening, and they’re still considering some different things we can do to be able to create an easier transition for the folks who are moving throughout the building.”

Selover views the Students Engage project as a training ground for active citizenship, as reflected in the students’ answers to questions on the project’s rubric. Selover’s favorite question asks students to explain why it’s important to advocate for change they want to see in their communities, even if the goals are not achieved.

“I’m always really blown away by their answers on this question,” he said. “They recognize that advocacy itself is valuable. It was good practice for them to understand someone else’s perspective and propose a change that would help make their lives easier.”

For Selover, the lesson’s impact is undeniable.

“This project wouldn’t exist without that iCivics lesson. It has created so many positive things in our school. Y’all gave me the inspiration, and we just made it a little bit bigger.”

About Luke

Teaching experience: 10+ years—5th and 6th grade humanities

School/Organization: Capitol Hill Day School