GFF Grantee Mivka Challenge’s work with Waukegan High School student’s was recently highlighed in a Lake County News-Sun article, “Waukegan students learn how to get things done at Civics Showcase; ‘This is about getting involved and being active leaders.”
Waukegan High School civics students spent the first semester learning how government works, and the second term putting what they learned to work by developing an issue important to them to present to the community, including government officials.
In some cases, those issues got wheels from elected officials like Waukegan Community Unit District 60 Board of Education member Lucy Leguizamo and U.S. Rep Brad Schneider, D-Highland Park.
Teams of students from seven Waukegan High School civics classes presented 50 semesterlong projects during the school’s Civics Showcase Friday in the Washington campus gym, giving the teens the opportunity to try to persuade community members to help.
Subjects ranged from mental health, to gun violence, to voter registration, to student motivation and more. Sean Hanrahan, one of the school’s government and civics teachers, said the students studied an issue, conducted surveys and more getting ready for the showcase.
“This is about getting involved and being active leaders,” Hanrahan said. “This is a chance to see what they can do about furthering their issue.”
Hanrahan said the showcase is done in conjunction with the Mikva Challenge named for Abner Mikva, a former federal judge and member of the United States House of Representatives. The purpose of the challenge is to help young people become informed and active citizens.
Steve Sadin, Lake County News-Sun, May 6, 2022