Monterey area high school junior and seniors: this one's for you

Want to travel to our nation's capital with all expenses paid to study the federal government in-depth? Here's your chance.

High school principals have until Oct. 1 to nominate students for the United States Senate Youth Program, which sends students to Washington, D.C. to learn about the federal government.

The California Department of Education coordinates the competition in California. Students must be nominated by their high school principal to participate and they have to be juniors or seniors currently enrolled in any California public or private secondary school. In addition, they have to be serving in an elected or appointed capacity in student government or a civic or educational organization.

California Superintendent of Schools Tom Torlakson will select four finalists, including two delegates, a first alternate, and a second alternate. The two delegates will participate in an intensive study of the federal government as guests of the U.S. Senate from March 7–14, 2015, in Washington, D.C. The Hearst Foundation, which sponsors the program, will pay all expenses for the delegates, including transportation, hotel, and meals. In addition, each of the delegates will receive a $5,000 college scholarship from the Foundation. Alternates attend the events only if the delegates are unable to participate. The two delegates and two alternates will be introduced at the State Board of Education meeting in Sacramento next January.

For more information on the nomination process, go to the United States Senate Youth Program Web page of the California Department of Education here or contact David Carriker in the Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction at 916-319-0173 or dcarriker@cde.ca.gov. I'd be great to see delegates

Carmel High honored with the Civic Learning Award

Carmel High School was recognized with the 2013 Civic Learning Award for California public high schools for its U.S. government and politics class, its mock trial club and team, and its student leadership.

The award is co-sponsored by California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye and California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. It spotlights successful efforts to engage students in civic learning and identify models that can be replicated in other schools.

The announcement was made Feb. 28 at the civic learning summit in Sacramento. For more information, click here.

Carmel High student wins "The Right to Vote" essay contest

Noah Liebmiller of Carmel High School was the first prize winner of the "Right to Vote" contest organized by the League of Women Voters of the Monterey Peninsula.

Carmel High students pretty much swept the contest, getting first and second prized plus three honorable mentions. Seaside High students nabbed two, and Monterey High one. Maybe next year more teachers from more high schools will encourage their students to participate? Hey, there's cash involved!

Second place winner: Marguerite Kise, Carmel HS
Third place winner: Jaleny Reyes, Seaside HS

Honorable Mentions
Kaili Alexander, Carmel HS
Jordan Collignon, Monterey HS
Charlotte Anderle, Carmel HS
Jackie Mauldwin, Carmel HS
Juan Babara, Seaside HS

The winners will be recognized during the League's luncheon at 1:40 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9th at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 490 Aguajito Rd.


Congratulations, everyone!

Youth voting, civing engagement and knowledge

Perhaps because of the presidential election, civic engagement among youth emerged as one of the topics that piqued my interest. So I was happy to learn that CIRCLE, a center for the study of youth engagement at Tufts University, has formed a nonpartisan commission to analyze data on young Americans’ civic knowledge and voting, then issue recommendations for how to improve both.

The commission was formed in response to controversies about recent voting laws (for instance, new state photo ID laws in several states) as well as debates about civic education in schools and colleges.

The commission begins with no position on the existing or proposed policies; its deliberations will be influenced by new data collected during and immediately after the 2012 election.

The commission will be comprised of a bipartisan group of 14 scholars and experts from across the country and will conclude its work in the spring of 2013 with a comprehensive report outlining recommendations on how to strengthen the civic participation of America’s youth.

For more information about the commission, click here.

I can hardly wait for the report!

Monterey county high school students: join the presidential debate

This is such a neat idea, I hope some high school students in Monterey County take it up (and invite me to watch).

Education organization EXPLO has just launched an initiative to encourage productive, civil conversation about political and civic issues. It's called "Join the Debates" and it's a website where high school students from all over the United States can sign up to exchange their ideas about the presidential debates.

"Many are concerned about the poor state of public discourse around political and civic matters," Moira Kelly, Executive Director of EXPLO, said in a press release. "The goal is to directly engage young people in meaningful conversation and demonstrate that reasonable people can disagree -- and that there's a civil way to make that happen."

 The plan is to have small, diverse groups of high school students gather online for about an hour after each debate to discuss them. The conversations will take place at 8 p.m. Pacific Time on October 3, 11, 16, and 22.

For more information on the project and to register as a student or facilitator, click here. And let me know if you plan to participate!

Alisal students dream of Washington D.C.

About 60 students from the government class of Ruben Pizarro at Alisal High have launched a fundraiser effort to pay for their trip to Washington D.C. to attend the inauguration of the next U.S. president.

"The opportunity for these seniors from Alisal High School to witness firsthand what they are currently studying in their Government classes will leave a lasting impression on their young minds and certainly shape the way they view their country’s government," Pizarro said when announcing the event.

"Dreams of DC" is the name of the club, and they have until Nov. 5 -- the day before the election -- to raise as much money as possible so they can all give their down payment on their trip. They'll be holding car washes, food sales, raffles, talent shows, carnivals, and do all within their power to get money for their trip.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that not many people get to be a part of," said in a statement Laura Padilla, a senior government student,

"This trip can plant a seed in us that will make us grow into more proactive and involved citizens," senior Sergio Reyes added.

The group would go to DC from Jan 18 through Jan 22, which would cost almost $2,000 per students. In addition to witnessing the inauguration, the trip would include a visit to the White House, the Smithsonian Museum, Arlington National Cemetery, the works. Many of the students have had very limited opportunities of travel, so they're certainly eager to go across the country to attend a historic event.

Dreams if DC is asking for donations. They are tax deductible and can be send to Alisal High School, c/o Washington DC trip, 777 Williams Road, Salinas, CA 93905.

Go Trojans! Start saving for thick coats, Washington in the winter's mighty cold.