A special thanks to our sponsor, Con Edison! With their help we have been able to fund the Project Citizen Program that allows hundreds of students to understand public policies.
The Justice Resource Center (JRC) provides New York City elementary, middle, and high schools the opportunity to participate in Project Citizen, a public policy program. Project Citizen is designed to engage students of all ages in the research and design of a public policy in their school or community.
After choosing a local public policy issue, students will:
1) identify a problem with the policy;
2) research alternative policies;
3) create and propose their own policy solution; and
4) design an action plan to implement their proposal.
Students create a four-part display board with each of the above features; additionally, students compile a literacy-based portfolio binder that documents their research.
Click here to see an example of Project Citizen in Astoria.
Project Citizen complements the 5th, 7th, and 8th grade social studies curricula. All materials are aligned to the Next Generation learning standards. Upon successful completion of a Project Citizen portfolio, students will participate in a school-level showcase. School-level winners will then have the opportunity to participate in a citywide showcase event in May or June.
Purchase of the program includes a professional development session that will train new teachers in the implementation of Project Citizen as well as a class set of 30 Level One student texts and a teacher’s guide. Student and teacher materials are also available in Spanish. If you would like to participate in Project Citizen, please fill out the Project Citizen School Information Form and send to the JRC by fax (212-580-5918) or email Debra Lesser at dlesser@schools.nyc.gov.
If you have any questions about the program, please contact Debra Lesser: dlesser@schools.nyc.gov