NYSUT Civic Readiness Grant

Every student has the right to civics education that prepares them to participate fully in our democracy. As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our country, New York has a historic opportunity to strengthen civic learning from the earliest grades through graduation. Together, New York’s educators, students, and civic partners are calling for action to modernize civic learning for our rapidly changing world.

Schools play a crucial role in preparing students to be active participants in our democracy. A comprehensive civics education empowers students with the knowledge and skills needed to engage thoughtfully, decipher fact from fiction, think critically, and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

The Classroom to Community Civic Readiness Grant provides an opportunity to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world participation by expanding access to the New York State Seal of Civic Readiness and experiential learning opportunities. By integrating civic engagement, critical thinking, and community collaboration into the fabric of our school programs – at every level – we can help students understand how their voices and actions shape the world around them.

With a total fund of $50,000, the initiative will award up to $5,000 to NYSUT locals to support projects that support the Seal of Civic Readiness and related programs in their districts.

Purpose of the Grant

The purpose of this grant is to empower NYSUT locals to facilitate hands-on, impactful civics education that leads to the expansion or establishment of Seal of Civic Readiness programs in their districts. The grant supports activities that go beyond traditional classroom learning to give students practical experience with democratic processes and community involvement. It is designed to fund initiatives that achieve the following core objectives:

• Increase student knowledge of government and democracy
• Encourage community participation
• Develop civic skills
• Promote civil discourse
• Foster a sense of civic responsibility
• Address media literacy

Examples of Potential Project Activities

• Increase student knowledge of government and democracy
  • Model Local Government Day: Students research and simulate a local Town or City Council meeting, debating and voting on a real or hypothetical local issue (e.g., zoning, public park funding).
  • State Budget Simulation: Students are given a hypothetical NYS budget and collaboratively allocate funds, presenting and defending their final budget proposal.
  • Field Trip & Interview Series: Students visit a local court or the State Capitol, followed by conducting structured interviews with a judge, legislator, or their staff.
  • Classroom voting on rules or issues: Students propose a classroom or schoolwide rule change, hold a vote, and reflect on outcomes. This introduces basic democratic procedures and civic voice in an age-appropriate context.
  • Classroom and Schoolwide Government: Create a class or school government where students take on roles like mayor, representative, clerk, or treasurer and make decisions on school-related issues. This simulates civic structures and responsibilities and provides opportunities for students to take an active role in developing a positive, healthy school culture.
• Encourage community participation
  • Community Needs Assessment & Advocacy: Students identify a pressing local issue and develop a full advocacy campaign to address it, culminating in a presentation to local officials.
  • "Adopt-a-Legislator" Program: Classrooms regularly research legislation and write well-informed letters, emails, or create video messages to their elected representatives expressing their position.
  • Service Learning through Civic Action: A project to address a community issue (e.g., recycling drive) followed by advocating for a policy change (e.g., local plastic bag ban) to make the solution sustainable.
  • Environmental or Community Service Projects: Projects such as planting trees, cleaning local parks, or organizing a recycling awareness day help students contribute directly to their communities while learning about civic action.
  • Community Supply Drives: Organize a class supplies drive or fundraiser for a local group (e.g., refugee support, animal shelter). Students can plan, advertise, and manage contributions, building real civic engagement and community awareness.
  • Voter Registration Drive & Education: Eligible high school students organize and host a non-partisan voter registration drive, developing educational materials for first-time voters.
• Develop civic skills
  • Public Service Announcement (PSA) Competition: Students research a public health/safety issue and work in teams to produce 30-60 second PSAs using video, audio, or digital graphics for community screening.
  • Student-Led Town Hall Debate Series: Students host public forums on current events (e.g., school start times), rotating roles as moderator, debater, and research/fact-checking team.
  • Grant Writing for Local Non-Profits: Students research a local non-profit and write a mock grant proposal, learning how non-profits secure resources.
• Promote civil discourse
  • Cross-School Dialogue Exchange: Students from two different schools (e.g., urban and rural) connect virtually or in person to discuss a complex, often polarizing issue, focusing on active listening and finding common ground.
  • "Perspectives in the News" Forum: Students research and defend viewpoints on a current event that differ from their own personal opinion, focusing on respectfully presenting the best arguments.
  • Guest Speaker Series on Diverse Beliefs: Invite diverse community members (representing different political parties, faiths, etc.) to speak and answer respectful, pre-screened questions.
  • Structured Classroom Discussions: Co-created discussion norms (e.g., listening respectfully, sharing airtime) help students learn how to express differing opinions while maintaining respect — a foundation of civil discourse.
  • Debates on Age-Appropriate Issues: Classroom debates on simple, relatable topics (e.g., school lunch choices or playground rules) give students practice presenting viewpoints and listening to others’ perspectives.
• Foster a sense of civic responsibility
  • School Policy Audit & Reform: Students conduct an audit of a specific school policy and propose a research-backed, responsible change to the administration or School Board.
  • Local Historian/Oral History Project: Students interview long-time community residents or local heroes about their own civic involvement, creating a digital archive.
  • Elected Official Shadow Program: Students spend a day shadowing a local official (e.g., Mayor, County Executive, school board member) to witness the responsibilities of public service firsthand.
  • Youth Advisory Board Creation: Students research, draft a charter for, and launch a student-led advisory board to regularly consult with the school's administration or a local non-profit.
• Address media literacy
  • Media Analysis Activities: "Filter Out the Fake" Investigation Lab teaches students to use digital verification tools (e.g., reverse image search) to analyze articles and social media, identifying and tracing misinformation/disinformation.
  • Digital Citizenship Campaign: Students create and deploy a series of educational videos, infographics, or interactive quizzes for their peers on topics like data privacy or algorithmic bias.

Application for NYSUT Civic Readiness Grant

Please review this checklist carefully before submitting your completed NYSUT Civic Readiness Grant Application.