Tucson, AZ (1888PressRelease)
August 15, 2009 - Linweaver Elementary School took top honors for their display on Plastic Bag Pollution, and the fifth graders were awarded with the chance to have their display judged at the 2009 Project Citizen National Showcase in Philadelphia this past July. These displays were judged by Legislators from all over the country during the National Conference of State Legislatures’ Annual Legislative Summit. The fifth graders received a Superior Score. This is the highest ranking a school can receive in the Project Citizen National Showcase.
Lineweaver’s teacher, Heather Matchett, remarked, “The students really took the issue of plastic bag pollution to heart and made changes in their own lives to help better their environment. Even though they are moving on to 6th grade, they want to pursue this issue with Tucson City Council on the fall agenda.” Lineweaver has had a consistent record of excellence in this program, earning a Superior score for the past two National Showcases! Overall, Arizona schools traditionally perform at high levels at the National Showcase, tackling tough issues such as bullying, graffiti, abandoned babies, and highway safety.
About Project Citizen: Project Citizen is portfolio-based civic education curriculum sponsored nationally by the Center for Civic Education (CCE) and the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). It is supported locally by the Arizona Legislature 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: www.azflse.org
• Arizona Project Citizen: www.azflse.org/pcitizen
• Center for Civic Education (CCE): www.civiced.org
• National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL): www.ncsl.org/
###
