Kidunity

IOWA CAUCUS PROGRAM 25 STUDENT JOURNALISTS WERE FRONT AND CENTER AT THE 2020 IOWA CAUCUSES IN FEBRUARY 2020. THESE STUDENTS WERE FROM 10 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS IN LOS ANGELES, DETROIT, CONNECTICUT AND MASSACHUSETTS. LED BY A TEAM OF SEASONED EDUCATORS, CONSULTANTS, AND JOURNALISTS, THE STUDENTS CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS, OBSERVED THE CAUCUSES, AND PRODUCED STORIES, BLOGS, PHOTO ESSAYS, VIDEOS, AND SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS ABOUT THE ELECTION. STUDENT ARTICLES AND INTERVIEWS WERE PUBLISHED IN LOCAL AND NATIONAL MEDIA. CIVICS IN ACTION! - WASHINGTON, D.C. IS A UNIQUE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROGRAM JOINTLY DEVELOPED WITH SANTA MONICA, CA CARLTHORP SCHOOL'S SIXTH GRADE SERVICE LEARNING TEAM. THE PROGRAM TEACHES STUDENTS TO ENGAGE IN POLICY ISSUES THEY SELECT AND RESEARCH. THE PROGRAM CULMINATES IN A FIVE-DAY TRIP TO WASHINGTON, D.C. WHERE STUDENTS MEET WITH LAWMAKERS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, POLICY ADVOCATES/EXPERTS, AND JOURNALISTS. STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY THE ROLE OF BOTH INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST AND ADVOCATE SO THAT THEY CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW THESE DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES CAN BE USED TO SOLVE SOCIAL PROBLEMS. THE PROGRAM EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF THOUGHTFUL DEBATE AND PRODUCTIVE CIVIL DISCOURSE. 39 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM IN 2019. WHILE STUDENTS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESEARCH POLICY ISSUES AND PREPARE FOR THEIR TIME IN WASHINGTON, D.C., THE TRIP WAS CANCELED AT THE LAST MINUTE DUE TO COVID-19. CIVIL RIGHTS IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE - THROUGH A COMBINATION OF HISTORICAL ENCOUNTERS, FIRST-PERSON INTERVIEWS, MUSIC APPRECIATION, SUPPORT FROM HISTORIANS OF SLAVERY AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS, AND STUDENT-DESIGNED REFLECTION PROJECTS (BLOGGING, PHOTO ESSAY, SOCIAL MEDIA, PODCASTING, JOURNALING), KIDUNITY'S CIVIL RIGHTS EXPERIENCE ENGAGES STUDENTS WITH THE MODERN CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, ANTEBELLUM SLAVERY, THE CIVIL WAR, AND THE JIM CROW ERA. THROUGHOUT THE FIVE DAY JOURNEY FROM NEW ORLEANS TO MEMPHIS, MUSIC IS AN IMPORTANT LENS THROUGH WHICH STUDENTS EXPERIENCE THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. STUDENTS INTERACT WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS, MUSICIANS, HISTORIANS, AND ACTIVISTS WHO LIVED THROUGH AND SHAPED THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AS WE RETRACE AMERICANS' STRUGGLE FOR EQUALITY. STUDENTS WILL RETURN FROM THIS FIVE DAY (FOUR NIGHT) TOUR WITH A HANDS-ON APPRECIATION FOR THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF MODERN AMERICAN RACE RELATIONS, AND AN APPRECIATION FOR HOW GRASS ROOTS MOVEMENTS CREATE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CHANGE. DUE TO COVID-19, THIS PROGRAM WAS CANCELED IN SPRING 2020.