We the People…Project Citizen is a national civic education program funded by Congressional appropriation. Project Citizen is a problem-based learning initiative coordinated by the office of Social Studies and is infused into our 6-12 curriculum guide.
The goal of the program is to engage students in a hands-on class project focused on investigating and developing a public policy solution for a Plainfield community problem identified by our students.
90% of our 6-12 teachers have been trained in the program since 2004. Each year, select schools vie for a position in the state Project Citizen competition sponsored by the New Jersey Center for Civic and Law-Related Education at Rutgers. After winning local district and regional programs, the first place school enters the state competition.
The class winning the New Jersey State Project Citizen Portfolio Showcase will have it’s portfolio entered into the national Project Citizen Portfolio Showcase, which will be held at the annual meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures in August 2007.
Plainfield won the national competition in 2004 and an honorable mention in 2005. Students showcased their projects in Seattle, Washington and Washington, DC.
The program has empowered Plainfield youth to successfully change the curfew law, speed limits and national food chain policy.
The following schools competed in this year’s competition:
Ridgefield Park Jr./Sr. High School
Community Middle School / Plainsboro
Edison Intermediate School
Gaudineer Middle School
Madison Jr. High School
Mendham Township Middle School
Maxson Middle School / Plainfield
First Place was awarded to Maxson Middle School students for their project entitled
“Gang Violence.”
Ms. Brenda Noble, grade eight teacher at Maxson Middle School, has taken her
students to the national competition in two of the last three years. She is
scheduled to receive a prestigious Center for Civic education recognition
award at the We the People national conference held June 24th in Washington,
DC.
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