May 18, 2018
Contact: Lara Slifko (602)340-7235
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For more information, contact:

For Immediate Release Lara Slifko, (602) 340-7235

May 16th 2018 [email protected]

“PROJECT CITIZEN” SHOWS OUR FUTURE IS IN GOOD HANDS

Sundance Elementary and Carson Junior High Take High Honors

[Phoenix, AZ] – On May 14th, schools from across the valley entered their Public Policy portfolios into the state Project Citizen competition. The event took place at Grand Canyon University, where each portfolio was judged by 4 judges.

Sundance Elementary’ s portfolio, let by teacher David Isham, was titled “Project Parks.” The class studied the issue of many public parks being unsafe and unsecure. Their presentation discussed the pros and cons of adding fencing and better equipment to the parks and discussed funding and agency support.

Carson’s project, led by teacher Tara Bartlett, focused on mandatory microchipping of pets. Carson Junior High’s portfolio will go on to the national competition later this year.

Project Citizen is portfolio-based civic education project for middle grade students sponsored nationally by the Center for Civic Education (CCE) and the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). It is supported locally by the Arizona Supreme Court and the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education. The program teaches young people to monitor and influence public policy. Students work cooperatively to identify a public problem in their community. They then research the problem, evaluate alternative solutions, develop their own solution in the form of a public policy, and create a political action plan to enlist local or state authorities to adopt their proposed policy. Participants develop a portfolio of their work and present their project in an oral hearing before a panel of civic-minded community volunteers.

About the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education The Foundation provides technical and financial assistance to legal aid organizations, schools and community groups working toward “access to justice for all Arizonans” through law-related education and free legal services. The Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education plays a leading role in preparing Arizona students for civic responsibility. The Foundation reaches more than 100,000 children each year by training teachers, school resource officers and probation officers about our laws, justice system and the foundations of democracy. It is also home of LawForKids.org, America’s first Web site dedicated to teaching students about the law.

Helpful Websites/More Information: • Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education: http://www.azflse.org • Arizona Project Citizen: http://www.azflse.org/pcitizen • Arizona Supreme Court: http://azcourts.gov/AZSupremeCourt.aspx • Center for Civic Education (CCE): http://www.civiced.org

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