Oak Hammock K-8 7th grade students in Mr. Sparacio’s Civics class understand the importance of taking care of their community. The students learned how to monitor and influence local public policies by participating in the Project Citizen project. The project provides a practical first-hand approach to learning about the complex system of government and how to monitor and influence change. Students collaborated to address the concern of losing the local habitat of native animals in the surrounding community. Students worked together to identify the cause of the problem, which is due in part to the increase in population and home construction. Ms. Jennifer Abbot, a guest speaker, discussed and provided the students with insight from a scientific perspective. Students worked together to thoroughly research the policy to address their concern, identify a solution and develop an action plan to present to the class, community and/or government to address their communal concerns.
