The state finals, held May 24 in West Palm Beach, were the culmination of the nearly year-long effort by the class to identify and problem-solve a community public policy issue. The class Project Citizen project, “Vote to Make Fort Pierce Better: Voting Counts,” hopes to increase voter registration and voter participation in local, state, and national elections. A team of eight students representing the class made their oral presentation to a team of community judges. St. Lucie Public Schools had three teams participating in the state finals. Project Citizen is a national program encouraging students to get involved in their local communities. It is part of the School Violence Prevention Demonstration Program supported by the Center for Civic Education and implemented for all seventh grade Civics classes in St. Lucie Public Schools since the 2010-2011 school year. This year marked the first time St. Lucie Public Schools participated in the state competition. Pictured, from left, are Edmundo Moreno, Kiara Laurent, Kaviola Valsaint, Benjamin Johnson, Cindy Lucas, Alexandra St. Tellien, teacher Heather Eakins, Vanessa Cruz, Anna Duran, and judges Dr. Patricia Brannon, Florida Atlantic University, (Retired), Political Science and Public Policy, and Kalinthia Dillard, attorney with the Palm Beach County School Board.
Dan McCarty School team wins Project Citizen state title
