An electronic newsletter for the CRF community
Volume 3, Number 1, February–March, 2004
In celebration of 42 years of service to youth and the community, we welcome you to the CRF e-News.
The CRF e-News is designed to provide readers with brief, user-friendly CRF updates and access to web-based resources of interest to educators, community groups, and active citizens everywhere.
In This Issue
+ Louis P. Eatman Assumes Role as CRF President
+ CRF Initiates California Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools
+ CRF’s Service-Learning NETWORK Earns High Grades
+ Chavez Foundation Offers Service and Learning to Schools, Communities
+ New Publications Broaden Scope of CRF Materials
+ CRF Web Resources
Louis P. Eatman Assumes Role as CRF President
Louis P. Eatman, recently installed president of CRF’s Board of Directors, is well-qualified for the task of leading CRF through what promises to become an exciting and challenging two-year term. He is Partner-in-Charge and senior real estate partner at the Los Angeles office of Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw, an international law firm with offices in the United States and Europe. He graduated cum laude from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and earned congruent law and business degrees from Stanford University Law School and Graduate Business School.
At a collegial and informative meeting with CRF staff, Lou discussed his vision for CRF and outlined several goals he hopes to achieve during his tenure as CRF’s President in 2004 and 2005.
“I try to be active in a number of charitable organizations, but Constitutional Rights Foundation is far and away my favorite. CRF's mission is second to none in importance. It is imperative that our young people be well educated about our system of government, in order to understand how it works and how it can benefit them. The ultimate objective here is to encourage young people to buy into the system and not opt out as, sadly, so many have done in the past.
“First, in order for CRF to achieve its goals, the organization, particularly its Board of Directors, must include greater ethnic and racial diversity that reflects the community CRF is trying to serve. I have set this as the first priority for my term as President….
“Second, I plan to encourage greater participation by CRF Board members in CRF's committees, programs and activities….
“Third, it's essential that CRF expand and diversify its funding sources….A larger and more diversified contributor base could include companies, foundations and individuals….
“Fourth, I would like to see CRF elevate its presence in the awareness of the business, legal and general communities, particularly in Southern California…. CRF is a wonderful organization, but its workings are not easily described in a simple, succinct way. It is of paramount importance that we effectively reach out to Southern California and the national community to communicate what CRF does and why.
“Finally, I will stress the importance of identifying opportunities that can involve interested individuals in non-Board activities.…It's important to find direct, fulfilling ways for individuals to volunteer, to make significant contributions to CRF and its programs without having to become Board members.”
Lou followed up each of the goals listed above with concrete strategies for implementing them. We at CRF staff look forward to working with Lou, to help transform his admirable goals into reality.
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CRF Initiates California Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools
For over 200 years, American democracy has given our nation unprecedented freedom, served as a model for the world, and survived wars and economic crises. Today it is threatened.
Many eligible voters do not vote. Increasing numbers of Americans avoid political participation in the institutions of government. Fewer and fewer stay informed about critical issues facing their communities and the nation.
Young people reflect these trends. Young people between 18 and 25 vote at lower rates than any other age group. They often distrust political institutions and processes. Most students lack a proficient understanding of civics, U.S. history, or our constitutional heritage. Without an involved and educated citizenry, our democracy is in danger.
Since its beginning, civic education has been a primary mission of American education, the best method for preparing informed, committed, and participatory citizens. Today, however, civic education is no longer a priority in our overburdened public schools. Government courses rank lowest in student interest. Studies show that students are often less willing to participate in political life after taking a government course than before.
In 2001, the Carnegie Foundation of New York and the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) convened a distinguished group of educators, researchers, and scholars to study the problem of civic education in America and make recommendations for its improvement. In their report, The Civic Mission of Schools, the panel identified four goals of civic education and recommended six promising approaches to improve it.
Funded by a generous grant from the Carnegie Corporration of New York, The California Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools is an effort to apply the goals and recommendations outlined in the Civic Mission of Schools to strengthen civic education in California’s public schools. The Center for Civic Education joins Constitutional Rights Foundation in this effort.
For more information on how you can help bring civic renewal to California, visit the CRF web site at The California Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools.
Additional Resources
A recent edition of CRF's Service-Learning NETWORK featured the North Carolina Civic Education Consortium, a state-wide civic education initiative and profiled six programs that reflect recommendations from the Civic Mission of Schools.
In a policy brief, the National Center for Learning and Citizenship surveyed "State Policies to Support Citizenship Education."
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CRF’s Service-Learning NETWORK Earns High Grades
Over a dozen years ago, Constitutional Rights Foundation approached the Ford Foundation with a proposal to provide educators with service-learning resources to connect classroom work to the community. The result was a grant for CRF to write and distribute Service-Learning NETWORK.
Today, NETWORK reaches 14,000 educators nationwide. In a recent evaluation, the Ford Foundation and CRF evaluated NETWORK’s impact on the service learning community. They found:
+ 80 percent of survey respondents routinely share NETWORK with a minimum of two other educators.
+ 25 percent share NETWORK with more than 10 other educators.
+ 96 percent apply ideas and examples from NETWORK
+ 95 percent share ideas and examples from NETWORK
+ 99 percent said that CRF should continue publishing NETWORK.
Past editions of Service-Learning NETWORK can be found on the CRF web site at: http://crf-usa.org/lessons.html#Service-Learning.
To receive Service-Learning NETWORK free of charge, visit the CRF web site at: http://crf-usa.org/marketing/form.html.
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Chavez Foundation Offers Service and Learning for Schools, Communities
"We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community...Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.” --Cesar E. Chavez
On March 31, 2004, thousands of participants nationwide will celebrate the legacy of Cesar Chavez by engaging youth and community in organizing meaningful educational, celebratory, and service-oriented projects and programs on Cesar Chavez Day.
To support this effort, the Glendale, California-based Cesar Chavez Foundation offers service-learning resources to help teachers, students and community honor the legacy of this great American leader by getting involved in their communities.
Visit the Cesar Foundation web site at www.chavezfoundation.org to access age-appropriate Chavez Day tool-kits, service-learning resource guides, coloring books, and additional resources to help you organize your Chavez Day projects.
For more information, contact Julie C. Rodriguez, Community Programs Officer, Cesar E. Chavez Foundation, (818) 265-0300 x233; e-mail: jrodriguez@cecfmail.org.
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New Publications Broaden Scope of CRF Materials
In an effort to reach out to all grade levels and fill real content needs, CRF has published “Project History” and “The Immigration Debate,” two new web-supported curricula.
Project History:
U.S. History Lessons Introduce History Day
Project History is a new 8th-grade curriculum designed to interest students—and educators—in the exciting, nationwide History Day Program while they learn standards-based U.S. history. Each lesson features a reading based on a middle-school U.S. history standard, questions to engage students in a discussion, and a product-based activity that helps students delve more deeply into the reading and develop critical-thinking skills.
Project History also features four Hands-On History Projects that can be used throughout the year. Using methods from History Day, these long-term projects can enliven your classroom and enrich student learning. They also can serve to motivate teachers and students to become involved with History Day.
For Project History research links and more information about the curriculum and History Day, go to http://crf-usa.org/project_history/home.htm.
The Immigration Debate: Historical and Current Issues of U.S. Immigration
Immigration has always played a central role in U.S. history. While immigration has strengthened, enriched, and diversified our nation, it has also presented critical challenges. Newly updated, revised, and expanded, The Immigration Debate has 12 interactive lessons on the history of immigration, refugees and asylum, and illegal immigration. Each lesson is linked to U.S. history and government standards. Lessons address the history of immigration, and a balanced look at issues of refugees, asylum, and illegal immigration. For more information about The Immigration Debate, go to http://crf-usa.org/marketing/catalog.html#immig
Project History is a new 8th-grade curriculum designed to interest students—and educators—in the exciting, nationwide History Day Program while they learn standards-based U.S. history. Each lesson features a reading based on a middle-school U.S. history standard, questions to engage students in a discussion, and a product-based activity that helps students delve more deeply into the reading and develop critical-thinking skills.
Project History also features four Hands-On History Projects that can be used throughout the year. Using methods from History Day, these long-term projects can enliven your classroom and enrich student learning. They also can serve to motivate teachers and students to become involved with History Day.
For Project History research links and more information about the curriculum and History Day, go to http://crf-usa.org/project_history/home.htm.
The Immigration Debate: Historical and Current Issues of U.S. Immigration
Immigration has always played a central role in U.S. history. While immigration has strengthened, enriched, and diversified our nation, it has also presented critical challenges. Newly updated, revised, and expanded, The Immigration Debate has 12 interactive lessons on the history of immigration, refugees and asylum, and illegal immigration. Each lesson is linked to U.S. history and government standards. Lessons address the history of immigration, and a balanced look at issues of refugees, asylum, and illegal immigration. For more information about The Immigration Debate, go to http://crf-usa.org/marketing/catalog.html#immig
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CRF WEB RESOURCES
CRF Home Page: http://www.crf-usa.org
CRF Programs: http://www.crf-usa.org/programs.html
CRF Publications: http://www.crf-usa.org/marketing/catindex.html
CRF Online Lessons: http://www.crf-usa.org/lessons.html
CRF Calendar: http://www.crf-usa.org/events.html
CRF Research and Resource Links: http://www.crf-usa.org/links.html
Contact CRF: http://www.crf-usa.org/email.html
Support CRF: http://www.crf-usa.org/support.html
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