The Civic Circle was honored to participate in the Maryland Civic Education Coalition's third annual summit, titled "Strengthening Civics for All!"
We had a Youth Service and Civics Slam, roundtable discussions on civics as a lifelong journey and Civic Seals as a civic learning tool, and remarks by Maryland Congressman Glenn Ivey, State Senator Shelly Hettleman, and others.
Ann Arundel Social Studies teacher Erin Few said it best when she summed up why the pandemic had driven home to her the increasingly essential role that civic learning plays in students' lives.
"When my colleagues ask me, how are we ever going to catch these kids up, my answer is civic engagement," said Few, who is Maryland's Civic Educator of the Year. "It truly is the solution to our current educational struggles. Our students' emotional and mental health improves when they turn their attention to others, and thinking about the needs of others."
