Students investigate a real community problem, evaluate multiple perspectives and sources, and develop a realistic public policy proposal that shows how citizens can influence change. Through testimony-based launch activities, team inquiry, weekly critique conferences, and ongoing reflection, they build the habits of research, argumentation, collaboration, and civic communication. The work culminates in a Project Citizen Portfolio and presentation to community members, demonstrating their ability to connect evidence, democratic principles, and public action.

Students will generate compelling and supporting questions about a local community issue, gather and evaluate credible sources from multiple perspectives, and use evidence-based notes to define the problem clearly. They will explain how active citizens influence public policy and assess the intended and unintended consequences of possible policy solutions at the local, state, or national level. Working in teams, students will draft, critique, revise, and defend a realistic policy proposal in a Project Citizen Portfolio for community members using clear argumentative writing and respectful public communication. They will also build habits of civic leadership by listening across differences, reflecting weekly on growth in research, advocacy, confidence, or listening, and setting concrete next steps.

Students will build a Project Citizen Portfolio that includes their compelling and supporting questions, annotated research notes, source credibility checks, stakeholder perspectives, problem statement, policy proposal, and an evaluation of possible intended and unintended consequences. Throughout the project, teams will also create inquiry station notes from the launch, revised research questions from pair-share critique, weekly progress portfolio entries, self-assessments with next steps, and draft advocacy materials such as a one-page policy brief, slide deck, or public comment script. By the end, they will present a polished portfolio and advocacy pitch to community members, using evidence-based claims and clear recommendations for realistic civic action.

Begin with a Voices in Action kickoff where local community members share brief testimonies about visible and systemic challenges in the community through live visits or short video clips. Students practice active listening in pairs, capture key concerns and stakeholder perspectives, then rotate through inquiry stations with articles, data, maps, and media connected to several possible issue areas. After the station rotations, pairs do a quick critique of the challenge area they are most drawn to, refine an initial research question, and post it for a gallery walk that helps teams form around shared interests. Close with a short whole-group debrief on which problems appear to need public policy action and why active civic participation matters in addressing them.

Host a public Policy Pitch Night where teams present their Project Citizen Portfolio to community members in a gallery walk followed by short formal presentations and Q&A. Students should share the community problem, evidence from multiple perspectives, their proposed policy, and intended and unintended consequences, using display boards or digital slides plus a one-page policy brief for visitors. Invite local residents, school leaders, civic leaders, and issue-specific community partners to give written and verbal feedback, then have students close by naming one way they can continue civic action beyond the project. This format celebrates student voice while giving them an authentic audience for civic communication, argument, and revision-ready policy thinking.