Today is Election Day.
And while we have read, watched, discussed and likely studied candidates, policies, and perspectives, our civic education shouldn’t slow down after this important date. As educators, we have the opportunity to creatively teach and engage young people in civic education.
Heather Loewecke, Senior Program Manager, Afterschool and Youth Leadership Initiatives at Asia Society has written a timely piece, Civics Education is the Foundation for Global Citizenship, that we highly encourage you to read and take hold of the resources provided within the article.
Here are a few stats that emerge from this piece:
- Despite the mission to promote a thriving democracy, American public schools are inadequately preparing students for participation in civic life. Only 24 percent of high school seniors scored proficient or higher on the 2010 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) civics exam.
- Only about 20 percent of young adults aged 18-29 voted in the 2014 elections, the lowest turnout for that demographic ever recorded for a federal election.
- A 2016 Annenberg Public Policy poll reflected that American adults know very little about the US government, with the majority of respondents unable to answer basic questions.
In response to this staggering statistics, Heather shares the benefits of civic education, what’s being done in education settings, and additional resources.
In addition to this resource-filled piece, Asia Society has also created a companion unit plan overview sheet for afterschool workers. Be sure to visit their site to access this valuable resource! Let us know what your program is doing to engage youth in civic education?
Author Profile: @breakfastclubguest