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
As the spring semester came to an end, the C&C Junior programs went on their last field trip of the year to Holt Park & Center for the Arts! The students learned the importance of taking care of their local environment by partaking in several activities in the park. They divided into different groups with park rangers to remove invasive weeds, plant trees and other local species, and water the gardens. The youth also beautified the park with hand painted stones. One group planted local flowers and vegetables, such as kale and tomatoes, for the park’s reptiles to feast on. The youth also got to meet their snakes, turtles, and even a Bearded Dragon! They learned a lot about them, thanks to the park rangers, such as their diets and behavioral patterns. Paola, one of park rangers, taught the students about several career paths in the environmental field. As a recent immigrant from Columbia, our youth were able to truly connect with her and ask questions related to their personal experiences and their futures as immigrants in the U.S.
Ihann touching the Bearded Dragon!