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Associated Press
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Bill of Rights Institute Launches Comprehensive Free Civics Curriculum for American Schools
With 40 lessons, Government and Politics: Civics for the American Experiment helps students explore representative government, civil society and civic virtues. 'With Government and Politics: Civics for the American Experiment, students everywhere can develop the knowledge and skills they need for lives of productive, principled citizenship.' — David J. Bobb, Ph.D., President & CEO ARLINGTON, VA, UNITED STATES, May 7, 2025 / / -- For more than 25 years, the Bill of Rights Institute has worked to ensure all students receive a quality civic and history education. Now, classrooms across America will have access to a new comprehensive civics curriculum – offered at no cost to educators and schools. The Bill of Rights Institute announced today the launch of its new civics curriculum, Government and Politics: Civics for the American Experiment. A national leader in the publication of open educational resources (OER), the Bill of Rights Institute offers more than 6,000 classroom resources and supports a network of more than 80,000 teachers who reach 8 million students per year. With Government and Politics: Civics for the American Experiment, the Institute is offering its most comprehensive civics curriculum to date. Government and Politics: Civics for the American Experiment offers 7 units and 40 lessons, and examines the relationships between civil society, our government, and citizens. Students explore the structure of American government alongside key concepts like self-governance, founding principles like liberty, justice, and equality, and civic virtues. The curriculum was pilot tested with classroom teachers and offers multiple engaging resources, including primary sources, point/counterpoint debates, informative videos, essays, case studies, and more. Government and Politics: Civics for the American Experiment also marks the Bill of Rights Institute's entry into game-based learning, with a series of interactives and tabletop games designed to increase student learning, comprehension, and knowledge retention. Bill of Rights Institute President and CEO David J. Bobb, Ph.D., said that Government and Politics: Civics for the American Experiment gives teachers an immediate new tool to increase civic learning, without having to rely on cost-prohibitive textbooks. 'We believe all students should have access to a quality civic education, regardless of ZIP Code or school budget,' Bobb said. 'With Government and Politics: Civics for the American Experiment, students everywhere can develop the knowledge and skills they need for lives of productive, principled citizenship.' The Bill of Rights Institute is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that teaches civics and history through market-leading curricula and educational programs for teachers and students. To learn more about Bill of Rights Institute programs and resources, visit . Kevin Hart Bill of Rights Institute +1 202-674-1237 email us here Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Civic education empowers students to be active in communities
'It's important to be civically engaged.' That's what an Indiana Area High School junior told our Joshua Byers at the second Democracy Bowl at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. Students from seven school districts went head to head in a social studies competition that tested their knowledge of congressional acts, notable court cases, founding documents, treaties and amendments. Representatives from the Bill of Rights Institute, the National Constitution Center and Fair Districts Pennsylvania also attended. Chris Janson, the Bill of Rights Institute's senior project lead for civic learning initiatives, said he was inspired by the students' enthusiasm. He told the students that civics education is not just about memorizing dates and reciting historic figures. It empowers citizens to be active members of their communities. Students also presented civics fair projects that would improve the region's image. Among them were a project from Homer-Center School District students on addressing homelessness, which took first place; Greater Johnstown High School students' ideas for revitalizing the Hornerstown neighborhood playground; and Portage Area School District students' plans for building a pickleball court and expanding CPR training. Mark Conlon, a Pitt- Johnstown professor and event organizer, described the bowl to Byers as bet- ter than his 'wildest dreams.' And Portage teacher Tyler Johnson said, 'I think anytime we can get kids out of the building and engage them in those important subjects is a good way to show them how to take part in their communities after (graduation).' We agree. Pitt-Johnstown alum and Democracy Bowl donor Douglas Weimer is credited with helping to make the event a success with his generosity. He said, 'It was a privilege to give back.'
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Gives me hope': Democracy Bowl provides students with a path for civic engagement
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – The Bill of Rights Institute's Chris Janson said he was inspired by area students' enthusiasm for civic engagement Thursday at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown's second Democracy Bowl. 'Whenever we are part of an event like this or our own project ... I'm always blown away by what these young people are doing,' he said. 'Gives me hope for the future.' This year's bowl brought roughly 100 students from Everett Area, Greater Johnstown, Homer-Center, Indiana Area, Northern Cambria, Portage Area and Westmont Hilltop school districts to the Richland Township campus to share their civics fair projects and compete in a trivia contest. Keynote speaker Drew Crompton speaks to the crowd of students and teachers at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown's Democracy Bowl on Thursday, April 3, 2025. Representatives from the Bill of Rights Institute, the National Constitution Center and Fair Districts Pennsylvania were also on hand. 'I'm kind of excited doing it because civics isn't my top favorite class, but I do enjoy learning about it,' Greater Johnstown High School student Kaleena Cannady said. 'It's so important for people to understand these kind of things – where they come from, what they're kind of born into or brought into.' Students went head-to-head in the social studies competition that tested their knowledge of congressional acts, notable court cases, founding documents, treaties, amendments and more, while they shared work they're proposing or undertaking to improve their communities. WATCH VIDEO | Pitt-Johnstown president leads patriotic chant at Democracy Bowl Jem Spectar, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown president, leads students and teachers in a rousing patriotic speech at the second Democracy Bowl on Thursday, April 3, 2025. 'It's important to be civically engaged,' Indiana Area High School junior Jack Lehman said. 'We probably don't do enough just in school, so this is good for us.' He and his teammates, seniors Tim Birch and Tyler Hunter, competed in the high school trivia competition in which their classmates won first and second place. Hunter said after the first round of questions he was enjoying himself and appreciated the basis of the event. Birch added that being up-to-date on current events is a key tenet of civic engagement. Trivia discussion Indiana Area High School students Jack Lehman (left), Tim Birch and Tyler Hunter confer on an answer during the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown's Democracy Bowl on Thursday, April 3, 2025. Janson, the Bill of Rights Institute's senior project lead for civic learning initiatives, told the group that civic education is not just about memorizing dates and reciting historic figures. It also empowers citizens to be active members of their communities, he said. 'We hope that your work will inspire others and serve as a beacon of hope for other students,' Janson said. Westmont Hilltop juniors Caridy Arnold and Reagan Hargreaves were happy to do just that with their presentation about the Helping Hands revitalization project in which they have taken part. The students partnered with Helping Hands of Cambria County through their public service class to perform home improvement work around the area. 'It makes you feel good that you're helping a family in need and helping our community be better,' Hargreaves said. Project displays Greater Johnstown High School student Loyalty Price-Murray (left) talks to judges Harry Olafsen, Vincent Gongloff and Ben Cotchen with fellow eighth-grader Sophia Hull at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown's Democracy Bowl on Thursday, April 3, 2025. Arnold agreed, adding that the work will improve the area's image. She also said the opportunity to share the project at the Democracy Bowl was fantastic. Other projects ranged from Homer-Center School District's project to address homelessness, which won first place; to Greater Johnstown High School students' plan to revitalize the Hornerstown neighborhood playground; to Portage Area School District students' idea to build a pickleball court and another focused on expanding CPR training. Harry Olafsen, the National Constitution Center's manager of teacher engagement and civics fair judge, said he was excited to hear about the various students' work. 'It's really fantastic to see civics in action, and that is what every single one of you is doing,' he told the students. Following the trivia finals – in which Indiana Area Junior High Team 2 took first in the middle school division and Indiana Area High School Team 1 took first in the high school division – the attendees heard from Pitt-Johnstown President Jem Spectar. Pep talk University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown President Jem Spectar ramps up the crowd during the second Democracy Bowl on Thursday, April 3, 2025. The university leader led the group in a patriotic speech that often included chants of 'We the people,' while he educated them on the importance of keeping the democratic republic established by the nation's founders. 'Why we have this event is because it's nice to take a moment ... and remind yourself what is true and good about this great country,' Spectar said. He told students that they are sovereign citizens who inherited the greatest treasure of all time by being United States citizens who were born free with inalienable rights. 'How to take part in their communities' Drew Crompton was this year's keynote speaker and followed Spectar's remarks. Crompton is a public finance attorney with Harrisburg firm McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC; he was a Commonwealth Court judge and served the Pennsylvania Senate for decades. He asked the learners what their opinion of democracy was and whether they thought the political process was broken. 'Democracy is messy,' he said. 'And we kind of have to embrace the fact that democracy is messy.' Crompton said that, in his experience, government still 'generally' works. He also took questions from the crowd about his career. Quiz finalists Quiz master Dan Shaffer asks middle school trivia finalists questions to determine this year's winner at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown's Democracy Bowl on Thursday, April 3, 2025. Mark Conlon, UPJ professor and event organizer, said the bowl was fantastic, describing it as operating better than his 'wildest dreams.' He was impressed by the turnout as well, he said, noting that there were about 130 people there, including students, teachers and UPJ undergraduates. Tyler Johnson, Portage Area High School teacher, commended the university for the opportunity to bring students to explore the democratic process. 'I think anytime we can get kids out of the building and engage them in those important subjects – I think that's a good way to show them how to take part in their communities after (graduation),' he said. Tony Lawrence, a Portage senior, shared a similar evaluation. 'It really gets you involved in history and the whole government process,' he said. Raymond Wrabley, UPJ professor and vice president of academic affairs, said it was the hope of the country's founders to educate citizens on the democratic process, especially the youth. He pointed to quotes from John Adams, who said, 'Children should be educated and instructed in the principles of freedom,' and Thomas Jefferson, who said, 'Educate and inform the whole mass of people ... they are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.' Wrabley thanked the students for being on campus Thursday to 'continue doing the good work, and sometimes the good trouble, of democracy.' Spectar credited UPJ alum and Democracy Bowl donor Douglas Weimer's generosity for helping make the event a success. Weimer is a Somerset Borough native who graduated from Pitt-Johnstown in 1975 with a history degree, before earning a law degree from the University of Notre Dame's law school and going on to serve the U.S. Congress as a legislative attorney for more than three decades. 'It was my privilege to give back,' Weimer said. He added that the university and its faculty and staff have given him and his family so much that he wanted to return the support. Pitt-Johnstown, the Greater Johnstown School District, the Bill of Rights Institute and The Tribune-Democrat sponsor the bowl, which is organized through the university's American Civic Education and Literacy Initiative.
Associated Press
18-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Konica Minolta and Bill of Rights Institute Partner to Support 50,000 Civics and History Students
Ramsey, NJ, March 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. ( Konica Minolta) today announced its support of the Bill of Rights Institute's Power of the Printed Word campaign. The company is providing financial support that will help distribute 50,000 pocket constitutions to classrooms. Through Power of the Printed Word, the Bill of Rights Institute delivers 'pocket constitutions' to classrooms throughout the United States. These portable booklets include copies of America's founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, and civics and history teachers depend on these classroom resources every year. 'We are extremely honored and proud to support The Bill of Rights Institute in their mission to drive high-quality civic education, and excited to help bring these important pieces of our history to students,' said Jason Dizzine, Vice President, Portfolio Management and Planning, Konica Minolta. 'As a leader in office equipment as well as production and industrial print, at Konica Minolta we truly believe in the power of print. This partnership opportunity perfectly combines that outlook with our ongoing commitment to invest in the education of our future leaders.' Bill of Rights Institute President and CEO David Bobb thanked Konica Minolta for its leadership in supporting America's civics and history classrooms. 'We all have a stake in educating America's youth and helping them become informed, civically engaged members of society,' said Bobb. 'We deeply appreciate Konica Minolta's commitment to supporting educators and young people all across our great nation.' To learn more about how to support the Power of the Printed Word campaign, visit the Bill of Rights Institute online. About Konica Minolta Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc.'s (Konica Minolta) journey started more than 150 years ago, with a vision to see and do things differently. The company partners with clients to Give Shape to Ideas by supporting their digital transformation through its expansive Intelligent Connected Workplace portfolio. Its business technology offerings include IT Services, intelligent information management, video security solutions and managed print services, as well as office technology and industrial and commercial print solutions. 2025 marks Konica Minolta's 20th anniversary in production print, for which it celebrates '20 Years of Excellence, Innovation and Impact,' and continues to lead the way in digital commercial printing. This year also commemorates 20 years of Konica Minolta's bizhub brand. Over the past two decades, the bizhub series has revolutionized office technology and redefined how businesses operate. It has continuously evolved to meet the needs of modern workplaces, fueled by advances in technology and a commitment to innovation. Konica Minolta is proud to be ranked on the Forbes 2025 America's Best Large Employers list, included on CRN's MSP 500 list numerous times; recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for eighteen consecutive years and presented with Keypoint Intelligence's BLI 2025 and 2021 A3 Line of The Year and BLI 2021-2023 Most Color Consistent A3 Brand Awards for its bizhub One i-Series. For more information, please visit Konica Minolta online and follow it on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Presidents' Day is Feb. 17. Do you know your presidential history? Take this quiz.
As Americans gear up to celebrate Presidents' Day on Monday, Feb. 17, they will be participating in a tradition that has lasted nearly 150 years. Presidents' Day traces its roots to an 1879 Act of Congress honoring the birthday of America's first Commander-in-Chief, George Washington. Ironically, what became Presidents' Day was first celebrated under the presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes, a one-term president who refused to seek reelection to the office. If you knew that, consider yourself a pro at presidential trivia. Ready to test yourself some more? Try this six-question quiz about America's presidents, developed by the Bill of Rights Institute. Editor's note: Take the survey below and the answers are below the quiz. The questions about best and worst presidents and the request for reader input were developed by The Tennessean. If the quiz below does not immediately appear, find it at this link. Now let's see your results – and learn some interesting facts about America's presidents. Answer 1: When George Washington was first inaugurated in 1789, he delivered an address that set a precedent for future presidents. While that speech was more than 1,400 words long, Washington was feeling less loquacious the second time around. His 135-word speech in 1793 is still the shortest inaugural address in U.S. history. Answer 2: James Madison was on the field of battle when British troops routed American forces at Bladensburg, Maryland, in 1814, during the War of 1812. The British subsequently set several federal buildings in Washington, D.C. ablaze, including the White House. Madison and his wife, Dolley, fled – but Dolley ordered the portrait of George Washington saved, and it still hangs in the White House today. Answer 3: Abraham Lincoln spent time working on boats in his youth, and was later inspired to develop a device that would use inflatable bladders to lift boats over shoals and other obstacles. Lincoln applied for and was granted a U.S. patent in 1849 – Patent No. 6469. Answer 4: President Franklin D. Roosevelt initially named the presidential retreat in Maryland Shangri-La. But Dwight Eisenhower renamed it Camp David after his grandson. David Eisenhower would unite two powerful political families when he married Julie Nixon in 1968. Answer 5: Lyndon Johnson had a lifelong interest in education, and called it 'the only valid passport from poverty.' He enrolled in Southwest Texas State Teachers College in 1927, and spent a year teaching at a segregated Mexican-American school in Cotulla, Texas. Answer 6: One of President George H.W. Bush's 58 combat missions during World War II included an attack on Japanese military installations in 1944. Despite his aircraft being hit and his engine catching fire, Bush completed the bombing run before bailing out of the aircraft. He was the only survivor from his plane. Kirk Higgins is vice president, content, for the Bill of Rights Institute, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization teaching civics and history. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Presidents' Day quiz: Test your knowledge of U.S. history | Opinion
