As the 2022-2023 school year comes to a close, we wanted to highlight an incredible trend we’re seeing in classrooms across the country.
From California to Mississippi, students are applying the civics lessons they read in Scholastic Magazines+ to their own communities. Through learning the ins-and-outs of current events, the lawmaking process and more, students are creating meaningful change and life-long lessons.
Despite new data from the National Assessment for Education Progress revealing U.S. history and civics scores for America’s eighth graders have dropped, it is inspiring to see this level of student engagement and the role Scholastic Magazines+ has played in helping to igniting it.
Read more below to find out about how these kids are impacting their communities!
- Mississippi fourth graders ushered a bill into law naming the blueberry their state fruit.
- Inspired by a Scholastic News articlethat explained how a Kansas classroom did something similar, their teacher invited legislators to the classroom and students sent letters to state senators making their case.
- A 9-year-old lobbied his school district to get chocolate milk back on the menu:
- 4th grader Jordan Reed successfully got chocolate milk back on the menu at Sierra Vista K–8 School in California.
- After his class read about student activist Estaban Perez in the Scholastic News article titled “Should Schools Serve Flavored Milk?,” he rallied his fellow students to put their new debate skills to the test. His teacher helped the class collect arguments and Jordan organized a protest to get the attention of district leaders.
- Fourth graders write letters to their mayor asking for a more inclusive playground:
- A group of Illinois fourth grade students successfully appealed to their mayor and presented to their town council to spark the installation of an accessible playground.
- After reading a Scholastic News article about a fourth-grade Missouri student who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, students wrote letters to their mayor and presented to their town council making the case for why their community needed a playground that accommodated students with disabilities or injuries.
- 5th graders create and sell handmade items to raise funds for Ukraine:
- Minnesota fifth graders raised more than $2,600 for Alight’s Ukraine Response Fund by selling handmade items such as keychains, earrings, and bracelets.
- The 10 and 11-year-olds were inspired by the Scholastic News story of a classroom in Pennsylvania that raised funds for Ukraine. The students, supported by their teachers and parents, created a community fundraiser of their own and have gone on to create an official school club called The Change Makers Club.
These students truly show that it’s never too early to find your voice and demonstrate what young people can achieve when they have the right materials and support from their teachers, families, and community.
Photos
Greenvale Park students work the Alight’s Ukraine Response Fund booth in shifts. Photo courtesy of Nena Lenz.
Mannsdale Upper Elementary students watch Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves sign a new bill into law that names the blueberry as the state fruit. Photo courtesy of Lisa Parenteau.
To learn more about Scholastic Magazines+, please visit classroommagazines.scholastic.com. And be sure to check out free resources for STEM: superstem.scholastic.com/earth-day-careers.html.
