Cleveland Middle School students visit the General Assembly.
The statewide "Project Citizen" civic education competition was held in Nashville this week. Cleveland Middle School (CMS) students presented winning projects on the Avon Williams Campus of Tennessee State University and visited their Legislators in the General Assembly. Hundreds of young people from across the state presented their civic education projects to a panel of judges representing government, education and community groups.
Project Citizen is a curricular program for middle, secondary, and post-secondary students, youth organizations, and adult groups that promotes competent and responsible participation in local and state government. The program helps participants learn how to monitor and influence public policy. In the process, they develop support for democratic values and principles, tolerance, and feelings of political efficacy.
The Project Citizen program is administered with the assistance of a national network of state and congressional district coordinators in every state and is conducted with the assistance of the National Conference of State Legislatures. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Education by act of Congress. Additional funding at the state level is also provided by an increasing number of state legislatures.
Entire classes of students work to identify a public policy problem in their community. They then research the problem, evaluate alternative solutions, develop their own solution in the form of a public policy, and create a political action plan to enlist local or state authorities to adopt their proposed policy. Participants develop a portfolio of their work and present their project in a public hearing showcase before a panel of civic-minded community members. Schools from across the state had projects that were judged "superior." All of the projects brought to Nashville were displayed in the Legislative Plaza for all members of the General Assembly to enjoy.
Congratulations to all the students who worked hard to represent their school districts. Cleveland Middle School was well represented by Project Citizen local director, Janis Kyser, CMS Asst. Prin. Mrs. Barbara Ector, Instructor Jim David, Mrs. Tanya Wriston many other teachers, chaperones and 88 CMS students.
The CMS Students visiting Nashville included:
Sam Gregory, Rebecca Bianucci, Skyler Franklin-Marr, Anna Martz, Alma Delacruz, Briley Moore, Addie Strode, Ashlin Tillotson, Jacqueline Rush, Conner Caprara, Josh Hamilton, Tyler Davis, Nick Melton, Jonathan Terrero, Kevin Ervin, Kara McFarland, Jacob Hartley, David Piersaul, Julie Pike, Mariah Waters, Taylor Degler, Colt McClung, Haven Wright, Destiny Mears, Sarah Ledford, Shivang Patel, Carson Sargent, Christian Jackson, Brandon Davis, Anthony Mullins, Peyton Benjamin, Zach Holder, Logan Foley, Alex Green, Emmanuel Ospire, Iskren Dinin, Jerry Robinson, Lindsey Gregg, Sierra Patterson, Vanessas Hoffmann, Tanya Anchondo, Jessica Barbosa, Maya Yancey, Megan Mitchel, Kim Buckner, Zach Sharp, Nate Crisp, Jameika Moore, Delanei Cash, Alysse Parris, Kellee Geren, Allison Hoffer, Hannah Ruth Mathis, Amanda Claire Shipley, Bryan Ramirez, Reggie Parker, John Bryant, Garrett Cunningham, Ben Wyrick, Chase Witt, Charlie Haney, Breanna Long, Chase Henderson, Landon All, Mariah Voytik, Hannah Claudio, Teliyah Cobb, Kimberly Brownfield, Hannah Holland, Laura Hays, Marissa Langford, Lashanda Langford, Ashley Beaty, Samantha Douglas, Misha Owen, Abigail Jones, Aubrey Hathcock, Jordan Thompson, Brianna Linley, Christopher Pistrang, Kile Clark, Luke Stone, and Matt Hattabaugh.
State Rep. Kevin Brooks invited the CMS students to visit the House Floor and participate in a "mock vote" while in the Chamber. He said, "It is always a great thrill to welcome the next generation of Tennessee leaders to the Chamber. We discussed, debated and voted on a number of interesting topics chosen by the CMS students. The CMS group greatly impressed the entire House staff with their spirited and well-spoken debate. They made Cleveland proud."
Rep. Kevin Brooks