Project Citizen Showcase
During the Instructional Component of Project Citizen, students learn about public policy and how they can impact that policy. They identify a problem that they can impact, research solutions, and develop a political action plan to resolve this issue. Participants create a portfolio of their work to display in a public hearing showcase in front of civic-minded community members. These showcases can take on two different forms. Both involve adult members of the community rating their level of achievement based on the guidelines we provide for them. Portfolios may also be submitted as a physical portfolio or an electronic presentation.
Portfolio Showcase
Student’s participating in Project Citizen create a portfolio that consists of four panels and a documentation binder addressing their public policy issue of choice. At the Portfolio Showcase, their panels and binders are displayed at the school, district, state, and national level. Traditionally, the portfolios are displayed in prominent public venues. Adult members of the community read, analyze and evaluate each group’s project. Evaluators typically rate the projects without the students present.
Hearing Showcase
Classes are encouraged to hold Hearing Showcases. In a Hearing Showcase, each of the four groups who worked on the project prepares and presents a statement about their portion of the project in front of a group of civic-minded adults who are acting as legislative or administrative officials. Each group then answers the questions posed by the evaluators, giving each student who is involved in the project a chance to participate by responding to the questions that are asked. Like in the other type of showcase, the evaluators then use the criteria provided to evaluate the hearing components.