USF St. Petersburg and the Florida YMCA are partnering to offer the Civics Fellows Program, an initiative designed to enhance civic education in the state by giving high school students hands-on experience in government and public service. As part of the program, 100 students from across Florida are attending a week-long Summer Civics Institute at USFSP from June 9 to 15, 2019.
The Institute is designed to instill a better understanding of state and local government and gives students an opportunity to experience for the first time being part of a university community.
“Bolstering this generation’s civic literacy, particularly concerning local and state government, is vital to maintaining and strengthening the foundation of our democracy,” said Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan, USFSP Political Science Professor and coordinator of the new program. “This opportunity to explore ideas and engage in healthy debate will provide these students with critical skills in their development as our future voters and policymakers.”
Throughout the week, the high school fellows will be immersed in municipal and local government to learn how these institutions interface with state government. Fellows will take field trips to places such as the St. Petersburg City Hall and Criminal Justice Center, as well as speak with political figures such as St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman and retired Chief Justice Fred Lewis.
“I applaud USFSP and the YMCA for partnering to bring this unique program to Pinellas County,” said Rep. Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, who is speaker-designate of the House in 2021-22. “The calling of public service transcends politics. It requires us to have enough empathy to understand the problems of our community and enough tenacity to bring people together to solve those problems. I hope the students participating in this program will use this wonderful opportunity to challenge themselves by wrestling with new ideas and thinking about their future in new ways.”
Two cohorts of around 50 students are attending the inaugural Civics Institute, which will mark the end of a year-long pilot fellowship for students in the first cohort and the beginning of the fellowship for students in the second cohort. The students will earn six college credits at USFSP for their participation, three in leadership and three in political science.
“This innovative partnership will give Florida high school students a head start on earning college credits while providing them with the experience and tools they need to become civic-minded individuals – all at no cost to the student,” said State Senator Jeff Brandes during the announcement of the program last year.
The program is expected to grow to include up to 150 high school students each year. At the end of the Civics Institute week, students are expected to be able to:
Research community needs and draft legislation in response to those needs
Develop arguments in support of and in opposition to a variety of solutions and challenges
addressed by Florida’s government
Research policy from a range of sources and summarize the findings into a concise
summary
Work with others to bring together diverse points of view and to organize common support
for a particular solution in the context of a governmental session
The partnership is an expansion of the YMCA’s Youth In Government (YIG) program. For more than 60 years, YIG has provided civics and character education to middle and high school students with an emphasis on direct experiences and service learning.
“The program has been well received by our students,” said John Trombetta, Vice President of Operations at YMCA. “They are quickly realizing what an opportunity they have not only to get an immersive experience in civics but also what the demands of a college course can be.”
Some of the major overall goals of the Civics Fellows Program include:
- Deepening understanding of government and its impact
- Improving civic engagement by the next generation of leaders
- Increasing rates of millennials participating in important societal institutions including volunteering, voting and school events
“The Civic Fellows Program has opened the door to a new type of civic education,” said Lily Tysinger, Program Director of the YMCA’s Youth In Government. “Our students are receiving a hands-on and immersive experience beyond what any classroom could provide. Looking forward, we are excited to have the programming expand to reach a larger audience and see the impact these students will make on their communities.”