From the March 2004 NJEA Review:

Town-First Civics

Have you ever heard of a professional baseball player who never participated in little league, high school, or college ball? Technically it’s possible, but it certainly isn’t likely. A player needs to compete at those levels to build the skills necessary for success in the Major Leagues. Without these experiences, a sports star would probably be just another fan in the stands.

This same line of thinking can be carried into politics. Although there are some notable exceptions, people who successfully access and influence government learned how to do so locally. For most Americans, civic participation begins in the school district or at the municipal building. And once they understand the “rules of play,” citizens are far more likely to expand their participation and/or carry it to another level of government.

So the “hometown first” approach that created talented and dedicated athletes capable of playing in the “the show” is also true for civic involvement. If people are exposed to—and better yet, participate in—local government, their understanding of and access to government at all levels will be enhanced.

Town-First Civics, also known as Empowerment Civics, is a program based on this new vision of American citizenship. Its creator, Harry Pozycki, is convinced that the approach will provide a much needed boost in civic participation. Pozycki serves as president of the board of trustees of the Metuchen-based Center for Civic Responsibility.

“Traditional civics courses taught us to be spectators and voting was the end product of our observations,” Pozycki advances. “We were taught to revere the founders and be in awe of our government’s tripartite structure with its sophisticated checks and balances.”

Pozycki acknowledges that this understanding of history and the principles of a democratic republic are vitally important. But this approach “. . . leaves us feeling distant . . . and unprepared for participation except for the isolated act of voting.” Town-First Civics was created to expand civic involvement beyond the ballot box.

“This is not your father’s civics class,” he boasts.

Study after study supports Pozycki’s call for improved civics education that will encourage more citizens to exercise their rights as Americans. A report issued in 2003 suggests that current civics curricula is “. . . unlikely to benefit students and may actually alienate them from political participation, including voting.” The Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement issued the report, which suggested giving students greater opportunities for community service within the curriculum. Then students can apply their experiences to actual civic participation.

Introducing the four power centers

The program was piloted at Plainfield High School in 1996 and is now used in 15 other New Jersey high schools, including Metuchen and Hamilton High School West. Teachers who have used Town-First Civics in their classrooms are very pleased with the results.

“It fits right into my course,” explained Hamilton educator Vicky Schoeb, who teaches a senior elective on government and related issues. “I can use Town-First Civics throughout the year—not just in a unit on local government.”

The key to the program is getting youngsters involved with one or more of the four power centers. Schoeb’s students have already made a proposal to the township council for a teen center after conducting a student survey and community research. The seniors also researched candidates up for local election, sponsored a mayoral debate, and held a mock election. This spring, Schoeb hopes to use school elections as the background for additional activities, perhaps a Get Out The Vote (GOTV) campaign to increase voter turnout or a debate among board candidates.

Not only has Town-First Civics been a hit with her students, Schoeb praises the support she has received from the Center for Civic Responsibility. “They know what’s going on in the classroom and are always willing to help secure guest speakers or provide suggestions.”

Metuchen teachers Mike Clarke and Steve Cichetti concur with Schoeb’s assessment. “Town-First Civics provides a great foundation for student discussion of a variety of issues,” noted Clarke. “Our goal is to increase the awareness of our students and encourage them to become participants in the political process.”

Through Town-First Civics, Metuchen students have gotten more involved. Clarke and Cichetti, who team teach United States History II, showed students how to identify important issues and get their opinions heard within the school district. The teens started by presenting a list of concerns to the local board.

“Too many students believe that they can’t make a difference—they feel farremoved from politics,” added Cichetti. “But this program sparks an interest and they start to believe that they can make an impact.”

Like Schoeb, Clarke and Cichetti praise the program’s flexibility. “We even started it in the middle of the school year,” Clarke admits. “But it fits in well to our schedule of covering current events and civic involvement on alternating Fridays.”

Cichetti appreciates the Town-First Civics materials. “The resource book is geared toward youngsters and easy to use.”

Both teachers are thrilled about the “Civic Empowerment” website their students created, using the minicomputer lab in their classroom. It provides links to civics resources and informs community members about the latest civics projects. Students will post project findings once their teachers have reviewed the material. Clarke and Cichetti report their students are really excited about the website, which focuses on students’ rights. You can view it at www.metboe.k12.nj.us/mhs/civics/.

Expanding the program

From the time that Harry Pozycki conceived Town-First Civics, he knew a grass roots effort would be necessary to get the program into New Jersey’s schools. He enlisted Donna Ardizzone, a retired teacher, to help him get the word out.

Ardizzone was an elementary and computer lab teacher in Woodbridge Township for 27 years. She spent six of those years as vice president of WTEA and served on numerous association committees, some of them as chairperson. Six times she represented WTEA at the NEA Representative Assembly. The lifetime NJEA member’s knowledge of schools and her organizing skills made Ardizzone an excellent choice for the campaign. As a volunteer for the Center for Civic Responsibility, the Avenel resident helps to generate interest in the program and trains teachers. She and Pozycki presented a workshop on Town-First Civics at the 2003 NJEA Convention.

For Ardizzone, the program’s best feature is its continuing education component. The Center for Civic Responsibility conducts adult seminars as a complement to Town-First Civics high school curriculum.

“The adult program will foster mutual support and understanding among parents, students, and other community members, stimulating discussion and action outside of the classroom,” said Ardizzone, who also taught adult school for seven years. While Ardizzone serves as a volunteer, the program is full time work for Cheryl Davis. She coordinates Town-First Civics in the 16 schools where it is used and is looking to expand the course further.

“When teachers express interest, we send them materials and explain Town-First Civics,” Davis reports. Then a meeting is held with the teacher and the appropriate administrators. If teachers decide to use it in their schools, they receive a short orientation on the project aspect of the program since that is where Town-First Civics differs from most other civics curriula.

“We don’t want educators to be overwhelmed by this. Town-First Civics is a program enhancement that can easily fit into a variety of teaching styles.”

Davis is pleased with the results. “We’re reaching more schools and have increased our capacity to train teachers. And our student surveys tell us we are making a difference—we are changing young peoples’ attitudes towards and knowledge of politics.”

And they’re doing it the most effective way—from the bottom up.

To learn more about Town-First Civics, contact: The Center for Civic Responsibility 450 Main Street Metuchen, NJ 08840 732-548-9798; 732-548-9298 (fax) www.civicresponsibilty.org info@civicresponsibilty.org

Formatted by J. Stevens, March 8, 2004