Civic High

Civic High© educates high school and university students about how local government is structured and operates and how it impacts their communities. The program was born out of the Institute’s Youth Enrichment Policy Project, an innovative public policy education program for high school students that inspired and motivated youth to become community advocates and agents of change through tailored civic education programming. Civic High© provides students with tools to tackle public policy issues and effectively engage with local government. The program aims to foster youth civic engagement, inspire civic action, and promote both the professional and personal growth of students, ultimately preparing them to become future leaders in their communities and beyond.

Civic High© helps students deepen their understanding of the political landscape in their communities, including factors like political geography, demographics, and voter turnout. They learn how to identify and define public policy problems and develop strategies to influence the decision-making process at the local level. The program provides participants with a “Citizen’s Toolkit,” a set of skills and strategies designed to help them navigate and shape the political system.

The Civic High© curriculum is customized to meet the needs of different groups, serving organizations such as Cal State LA Associated Students, Inc., the Southeast-Rio Vista YMCA, Legacy LA, and the California Latino Leadership Institute. In each case, the Institute has tailored the program to their unique needs, interests, and challenges.

Learning Outcomes for Students:

• Community Mapping: Students will become familiar with the political landscape of their community, gaining insight into local issues, demographics, and voter engagement.
• Understanding Local Government: Students will learn about the structure and operation of local government, identify key stakeholders, and understand the policy decision process at the municipal and regional levels.
• Public Policy Problem-Solving: Students will develop the ability to identify and define public policy problems affecting their communities and learn impactful strategies to influence local government, including how to build "clout" and use their collective voice to create change.
• Civic Engagement and Action: Students will understand how to move political systems through strategic advocacy and community engagement, empowering them to play a critical role in local governance.