Civic Action Project VT
Civic Action Project VT
Embedded Files
A brief history
A brief history
The Civic Action Project began in 2010 in my middle school social studies classroom. Working with local organizations and individuals, every 8th grade student on my team was assigned to complete 10 hours of community service over the course of several months.
Students built portfolios. They wrote regular reflections about their experiences. They collected information about the organization(s) they worked with, and they prepared a final project for the larger community.
By the end of the project, all students had completed a project, written a final reflection, created a portfolio of their work including letters of recommendation, and presented their work to friends, family and community members.
What began as a way for my students to recognize their personal power grew into a community building opportunity for our entire school and town.
We centered our work around the concept of one's "Ripple Effect" and the choices we must make as active members of a democracy.
It was transformative.
“My main takeaway is that helping people makes me feel good and I want to do something that inspires people. I think every person can cause a ripple of kindness just by helping people. I hope all people will realize how much a ripple can positively effect community.”
-Rory C, 8th grader. 2024
The Problem We Can Solve
The Problem We Can Solve
According to 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data, roughly 30% of middle school students in Vermont are not sure if they matter to people in their community.
That is unacceptable.
The Opportunity Ahead
The Opportunity Ahead
The CAP VT project is designed to target three areas:
Civic Engagement
Job Readiness
Social Emotional Skills
Civic Engagement
Civic Engagement
Structure of local government
Local representatives
Identifying needs in community
How to take action & make change
Sustainable Development Goals tie-in
Building partnerships over time
You matter! Your voice, your choice
Ways to get involved before voting age (your money has power!)
Ripple Effect of choices
Job Readiness
Job Readiness
Skills: making phone calls, writing professional emails, managing a timesheet, filling out applications, requesting letters of recommendation, communication, time-management, + more
Practice for internships, college applications, jobs, etc.
Presentation to community (accountability)
Public speaking
Exploration of interests
Final portfolio for future use
Social Emotional Skills
Social Emotional Skills
Building relationships
Self-awareness
Advocating
Communication, verbal and written
Problem-solving
Exploring identity
Self-reflection
Accountability
Planning
Student Voices
Student Voices
“Because of this project, I have been thinking about other ways that I can help people who are less fortunate than me, both within my community and on a global scale. I plan to continue thinking this way and always searching for opportunities to be a good citizen and leader in my local community, throughout High School, College as well as in my professional career....In the end, I hope that others can come to the same realization that I did during my project. It is our duty as people and as American citizens to be leaders in our communities and spend time working towards supporting the greater needs of our neighbors...If I only remember one thing from this project, it would be the look of gratitude that I saw on the faces of the folks I volunteered for.“
-Charlie R, 8th grader. 2024
“I learned a lot during the duration of this project, and one of my biggest takeaways is learning how to take a large project and break it down into smaller portions. I think this was an important goal to achieve because it is a skill that will follow me through high school and elsewhere....I learned that to be an active citizen you need to find an area in need in your community. Your job is to help that area in need and show others what is happening right here in our communities and how they can help. Finally my last big takeaway from this project was learning that I can make a change. I learned that I may make a small change, but my small change will lead to bigger changes...I can use the ripple effect to influence others to also make their own small changes.”
-Greg M, 8th grader. 2022
“By completing this project, I now know my voice has a place in a larger group. It’s made me feel that I have an impact and I can change our community for the better. The Civic Action Project also made me realize that my love for filmmaking and photography has a place in our community, and how I can help others in a unique way by using my hobby. My video projects will also help me later in life...it can provide job opportunities and career paths, as well as more options in school projects while in high school and college.
If I’ve learned one thing while working on the Civic Action Project, it’s how your actions can help the community and spread kindness to others...I believe it only takes one person to start a ripple of kindness throughout the world.”
-Sam H, 8th grader. 2022
IMG_2816.movAccording to Hannah, the Civic Action Project:
According to Hannah, the Civic Action Project:
“Helped me figure out how to function in a community....[and] gave me the drive, ignited who I am as a person now."
-Hannah Karki, 8th grader. 2020
The Essex Reporter
The Essex Reporter
A Civic Duty (and a grade to go with it)
Dec, 2017
One example of the ways my students learned how to engage in local government as young people. This project asked my 8th graders to decide the fate of our local decisions around how Essex Jct. and Essex Town should be governed. We called it a Good Governance Unit and they were tasked with the same responsibilities that the adults in leadership were exploring.
My students came up with several solutions, and presented them to a room of adults who needed to hear what they had to say.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse