Photos: Alexis Picheny Photography
GC Greater Boston’s Civics Day Spring 2014 was our biggest Civics Day yet! 350 students from 44 classes, 15 different schools, and 4 different school districts (representing GC Greater Boston’s nearly 3,000 students served this semester) presented their GC action projects. The 80 Judges in attendance included elected officials, community activists, and business leaders from Boston’s biggest law, finance, tech, and real estate companies.
The day kicked off with Ayanna Pressley, our Civic Leader Changemaker award winner and the first woman of color to serve on Boston’s City Council. She roused our students to recognize the critical importance of getting involved in politics, telling them, “I don’t mind being the first, but I certainly don’t want to be the last.”
After the kickoff, students showcased their learning from the Generation Citizen semester through our Student Presentation rounds. Students presented on issues as diverse as gang violence, school funding, homelessness, school lunch, and city park maintenance, and shared how they have not only researched and analyzed their issues, but taken action by strategically targeting city councilors, state representatives, heads of local city agencies, community organizations, and other students and families.
The day closed with a speech from Trinity Meade, our Student Changemaker winner and 8th grader at the Harbor Pilot School in Dorchester. Trinity talked about a “moment of empowerment” in her class, when she and her classmates called an officer of her city’s police department and the officer, despite being skeptical at first, ultimately granted their request. As Trinity put it, “In Generation Citizen, you get into the community and change what you have been wanting to change. For me, Generation Citizen taught me that I don’t have to wait for someone to do it for me. I can change it myself.” Dorian Deen, our College Changemaker from Boston College, and Joyce Cunha, our Teacher Changemaker from the Higginson-Lewis School, were also honored.
Civics Day 2014 winners were announced! Our full list of winners:
- Grassroots Change: Harbor Pilot School, Mr. Scott, School Guidance Counselors
- Systemic Impact: Malden High School, Mr. Copithorne Period 4, Bathroom Facilities
- Collaboration and Diversity: Boston Community Leadership Academy, Mr. Pina, Food Waste
- Action: Ottoson Middle School, Mr. Bakke, Pedestrian Safety
- Open-Mindedness: Malden High School, Mr. Aufiero, Period 2, Homelessness
Overall Changemakers:
- Boston Latin School, Ms. Arnold, Bus Route Efficiency
- Harbor Pilot School, Mr. Scott, School Guidance Counselors
Want to be part of the Civics Day experience? Please consider making a gift to support our work by visiting https://cms.generationcitizen.org//
