The Civic Circle ended winter programming on a high note, with a series of outstanding workshops with storyteller Janice Curtis Greene, an “American Griot” who embodies the civic power of storytelling. Greene shared stories in the African American tradition with students, then led them through the process of creating and telling their own stories. The theme was “Listen,” the first “step to democracy” in the Civic Circle’s program: civility, peaceful conflict resolution, and treating others…
THANK YOU to all those who made our GivingTuesday campaign such a success! We well exceeded our goal, thanks to generous contributions from our supporters and friends. We had contributions coming in over multiple channels on Facebook and PayPal, and six people shared or replicated this campaign on social media. Thank you! A special thanks goes out to the generous board members, advisory council members, and leading supporters who pledged matching funds to double the…
GivingTuesday is tomorrow, and the need for civic learning is greater today than it was even a year ago. Disinformation and misinformation threaten public health, voting rights, textbook accuracy and even the safety of some school board members. The good news is that Americans on both sides of the political aisle overwhelmingly agree that civic education is the most meaningful way to strengthen American identity. Bipartisan coalitions in Maryland and nationwide are working together to…
The Civic Circle’s program builds seven civic skills we call “steps to democracy,” but we like to ask students: If you were to add an eighth “step,” what would it be? At this time of year, one that readily springs to mind is: Gratitude. On the surface, gratitude may seem more closely aligned with spiritual than with civic life. But appreciating what’s good in our lives, and in the world, fuels us with the energy…