NEW BETHLEHEM, PA — Matthew Green, a student at Redbank Valley High School, has been
selected as a member of the inaugural Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship, a year-long program
that will engage high school students from across the country to both explore how to make
civics more inclusive and relevant to Americans of all backgrounds and to become civic leaders.
The fellowship, which was created through a collaboration between iCivics and Generation
Citizen, will give students the opportunity to work with experts in civic engagement, advocacy,
social and traditional media, and digital literacy to help build leadership and communication
skills so that they can become student ambassadors for equity in civic education.
Funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the fellowship is part of a broader initiative
of iCivics and Generation Citizen to explore the challenges that civic education has when it
comes to diversity in an effort to improve civic teaching for K-12 school.
Throughout the course of the 2019-2020 school year, the fellows will participate in in-person
and virtual workshops and trainings designed to prepare students to tell their story about equity
in civics in compelling ways. They will work on group projects around advocacy at the state
level, engage in group discussions on equity, civic education, civic engagement, and design
civic action projects around the upcoming census and voter engagement
In addition, fellows will also work closely with the newly formed Equity in Civics Steering
Committee, which was created through this broader initiative, to discuss student concerns about
equitable civic education and student preparedness for civic life.
Matthew is one of 12 students who were chosen to take part in the fellowship. Applicants were
nominated by teachers and mentors for the program and then submitted a self-assessment and
essay for consideration.
The first cohort of the fellowship includes students from major urban centers on the east and
west coasts, rural communities, suburban communities, and a crosssection of socioeconomic
and racial backgrounds.
“Redbank Valley is very fortunate,” Green said, “Our educators give us many opportunities to
experience civics first hand. However, not all schools are able to provide these opportunities.
This program aims to fix that.” Green also stated that the fellowship will empower students
around the country to speak out about issues that they feel are important.
Green and the rest of the fellows just returned to New Bethlehem from Washington D.C. for a
weekend-long series of meetings and workshops at Georgetown University that kicked off the
fellowship. While in the nation’s capital, they learned from experts such as the director of public
engagement and government affairs at the Center for Educational Equity (CEE) at Teachers
College, Joe Rogers; experts in digital literacy such as Benjamin Stokes of American University;
as well as leaders from civic leadership nonprofits such as Young Invincibles and Student
Voice.
“We created the Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship to address one of the most significant
challenges that we in civic education face. For far too long, civics has been taught from only one
perspective,” said iCivics Executive Director Louise Dubè. “We look forward to working with all
of our fellows, helping them grow as advocates — and learning from them.”
“Youth voice is absolutely critical to empowering individuals to believe that they matter in our
society. Our goal is to elevate the diversity of our students’ perspectives and experiences
throughout the entirety of this experience.” Amber Coleman-Mortley iCivics Director of Social
Engagement and Fellowship Program Director.
About iCivics
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor founded iCivics in 2009 to transform the field
through innovative, free educational video games and lessons that teach students to be
knowledgeable, curious, and engaged in civic life. Today, iCivics is the nation’s largest provider
of civic education curriculum, with our resources used by over 100,000 educators and more
than 6.25 million students each year nationwide. Visit www.icivics.org to learn more.
“Redbank Valley is very fortunate,” Green said, “Our educators give us many opportunities to
experience civics first hand. However, not all schools are able to provide these opportunities.
This program aims to fix that.” Green also stated that the fellowship will empower students
around the country to speak out about issues that they feel are important.
Green and the rest of the fellows just returned to New Bethlehem from Washington D.C. for a
weekend-long series of meetings and workshops at Georgetown University that kicked off the
fellowship. While in the nation’s capital, they learned from experts such as the director of public
engagement and government affairs at the Center for Educational Equity (CEE) at Teachers
College, Joe Rogers; experts in digital literacy such as Benjamin Stokes of American University;
as well as leaders from civic leadership nonprofits such as Young Invincibles and Student
Voice.
“We created the Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship to address one of the most significant
challenges that we in civic education face. For far too long, civics has been taught from only one
perspective,” said iCivics Executive Director Louise Dubè. “We look forward to working with all
of our fellows, helping them grow as advocates — and learning from them.”
“Youth voice is absolutely critical to empowering individuals to believe that they matter in our
society. Our goal is to elevate the diversity of our students’ perspectives and experiences
throughout the entirety of this experience.” Amber Coleman-Mortley iCivics Director of Social
Engagement and Fellowship Program Director.
About iCivics
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor founded iCivics in 2009 to transform the field
through innovative, free educational video games and lessons that teach students to be
knowledgeable, curious, and engaged in civic life. Today, iCivics is the nation’s largest provider
of civic education curriculum, with our resources used by over 100,000 educators and more
than 6.25 million students each year nationwide. Visit www.icivics.org to learn more.
