At The Civic Circle, performance-based learning tends to center on the humanities. Students sing songs, read poems, do “blended” poetry- and song-writing, and write their own original songs. But technology creates an opening that is more accessible to some students, and that can also support creative performance, thanks to digital back-beats and other cutting-edge music tools. Enter Jason Mullinax, a one-of-a-kind performer and instrument maker recently described by one blogger as “one of the most…
Shutterstock One of Donald Trump’s very last acts as president was to release a report by his “1776 Commission” that trumpeted “patriotic education,” defended the Founding Fathers’ ownership of slaves, likened progressives to Mussolini, and was roundly denounced by historians. Four days later, one of President Joe Biden’s first acts as Commander in Chief was to toss out that report via executive order. Biden’s action came on the heels of an inaugural speech that invoked…
The nation’s democracy crisis seemed to reach its nadir Wednesday, as riotous mobs took over the Capitol in a horrific attack that ended with five people dead. Yet as with so many of the crises our nation has faced in recent months–the pandemic, the racial justice reckoning–a seed of hope was hidden in the wreckage. After the Capitol was finally cleared, lawmakers resumed deliberation with bipartisan calls for unity and condemnations of violence. For Civic Circle students,…
The year 2020 brought many challenges to our community, our nation and our world, but a bright spot for The Civic Circle came the week of July 4th. That’s when Congressman Jamie Raskin interviewed Eliza Newlin Carney, The Civic Circle’s founder and president, for his “Local Heroes” series. Here’s how Congressman Raskin summed it up in a recent blog post: Episode 14: Eliza Newlin Carney Star-spangled journalist and songwriter Eliza Newlin Carney, President and Founder…
What is a civic holiday? Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, the Winter Solstice, Christmas or Kwanzaa, chances are your holiday traditions are rooted in universal values like generosity, community, resilience, forgiveness, love and hope. Throughout 2020, we have had many opportunities to reflect on how our simplest actions, such as mask wearing or standing apart, might affect others. We have been made keenly aware of the suffering and need both laid bare and intensified by this pandemic. We…