2008 Project Citizen Showcase Awards

by Karl Kurtz

Want to do something to recognize and reward young people who get involved in solving public policy problems? 

We the People: Project Citizen is a curricular program for students that promotes competent and responsible participation in local and state government, cosponsored by the Center for Civic Education and NCSL. The program helps participants learn how to monitor and influence public policy. In the process, they develop support for democratic values and principles, tolerance, and feelings of political efficacy.

Entire classes of students or members of youth or adult organizations work cooperatively to identify a public policy problem in their community. They then research the problem, 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 proposed policy.

Each year the top Project Citizen portfolios from each state are on display at NCSL's annual Legislative Summit, and legislators and legislative staff evaluate these summaries of the students' work.  Thirty-four Legislative Summit participants contributed their time to review these portfolios this year.

Check out the 2008 national showcase participant list that includes the schools, the projects and the award levels granted to a classroom in your state.  If you're a legislator or legislative staff person, contact the principal or teacher at the school, or your statewide Project Citizen coordinator, to find out how you can help recognize the outstanding achievements of these students and further encourage them to get involved.