by Beth Pellicciotti—LWVWA Board, Civic Education
The League of Women Voters of Washington is committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and to supporting civic education throughout the state. Civic education inclusion involves reaching out to underserved and underrepresented groups with information on how the government works and how to be engaged in a democracy. Civic education is for youth, but also for adults. We all need to know more about how government works and the role we play in our democracy.
Each year, the LWVWA solicits civic education grant requests from local Leagues, with grant funds pulled from the LWVWA’s Education Fund. The guidelines are broad—“How are you reaching underserved/underrepresented groups with voter education or civic education?”
Below are some examples of civic education grant work serving youth. Please consider giving to support future projects like these.
KSPS Civics Bowl (civic education and inclusion)
In 2021, the Spokane Area League partnered with the local public broadcasting station, KSPS, and the Spokane Public Schools to support teams of high school students to compete in a jeopardy-like civics bowl. Spokane League members wrote 700 questions from the two League civics textbooks used in schools. Civics teachers served as coaches; family members watched live recordings of the shows; and community members saw broadcasts of highly educated civics students competing.
In 2022, one of the semi-finalist teams hailed from the Spokane project-based Community School (an alternative high school), In 2023, the KSPS Civics Bowl is still going strong! Watch recent student Civic Bowl participants answering questions about their experience here.
Legislative Page Program (civic education and equity)
In 2022, the Clallam County League partnered with their local Boys and Girls Club to support and encourage club members to become legislative pages. Some of the young folks who wanted to participate in our state government as pages, in the capital for a week, learning the legislative process, could not afford the transportation, living, and clothing costs.
To assist efforts to get these young folks to the capitol, the Clallam League served as the content expert on the legislative page program—answering questions, assisting with applications, and keeping track of important deadlines. The Boys and Girls Club gave students funding for clothing,transportation, as well as room and board costs. Read about the world-view altering experience of one legislative page below.
Civics Textbooks to Schools (civic education, equity, and inclusion)
In 2023, the Clark County League received funding to purchase the LWVWA civics textbooks, The State We’re In for a school district experiencing severe budget cuts. The head of curriculum for that district asked for help paying for textbooks for elementary and middle school teachers. While the LWVWA textbooks are free online, teachers and students like to have a hardcopy. Access problems arise because not all school districts can afford printed textbooks, and many do not have broadband internet access.
Additionally, through the work of long-time League volunteer Karen Verrill, the League's textbooks, posters, and a recent supplement on The History of Latinos in Washington have been translated into Spanish! Ongoing planning with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction is focusing expanding access to the translated versions to the over 40,000 students in dual language programs. It is important that ALL of us—whether our first language is English or not—have access to materials to aid in learning how Washington State and Native American governments work. Translated materials can be accessed here.
