Applications for showcase participation and related grant funding are now open! The deadline is January 6, 2023. Apply at Spring 2023 Statewide Civics Project Showcase Application.
This spring, DESE is excited to celebrate the work of 8th–12th grade civics students across the state! Through civics project showcases, students will have a chance to share their work with legislators, subject matter experts, educators, and other community members and receive recognition for their civic engagement.
DESE and partner organization Generation Citizen are hosting two statewide civics project showcases this year:
The application for both these events is the same. Districts, charter schools, and educational collaboratives interested in having students participate in either event should apply by January 6, 2023. DESE funding is available for districts to host local or regional showcases and to cover the cost of transportation to the statewide events through the Civics Project Showcase Grant.
See below for more information, including detailed instructions on how to apply to participate in a showcase and/or receive grant funding. If you have additional questions, please email Rebekah Judson .
Districts, charter schools, and educational collaboratives in Massachusetts that do not currently partner with Generation Citizen can apply to send up to 30 students to DESE's Massachusetts Civics Project Showcase (taking place tentatively on Friday June 2 in the Worcester area). Students must be in 8th–12th grade and be completing a student-led civics project as part of their classwork.
Due to space constraints, participation is not guaranteed. DESE will confirm participating districts by early February 2023. The Department will prioritize geographic representation of regions across the state as well as districts that are committed to hosting a local (school-wide or district-wide) civics project showcase or collaborating with other districts to host a regional showcase.
If your district is interested in participating, please fill out the application form by January 6. If you are interested in applying for funding to cover the costs of hosting a local/regional showcase and/or transportation to the statewide Showcase, the application form will automatically direct you to the grant posting.
Current Generation Citizen partner districts are automatically eligible to participate in Generation Citizen's Civics Day, taking place on Monday June 5 at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute in Boston, MA. Please fill out the application form by January 6 to confirm your participation.
Generation Citizen partner districts may also apply for DESE funding to host a local/regional showcase and/or for transportation to Civics Day. If you are interested in applying for funding, the application form will automatically direct you to the grant posting.
Due to space constraints, Generation Citizen partner districts are not eligible to participate in DESE's Massachusetts Civics Project Showcase.
During these "science fair"-style events, students will share their projects with local legislators, subject-matter experts, educators, and other community members and will receive feedback on their work. Each event will culminate in a brief awards ceremony.
Each event will last approximately from 9am–1:30pm. Lunch will be available for all attendees.
DESE and Generation Citizen will determine a maximum number of student slots for each district based on the size of the district and the number of districts participating overall. Districts may indicate the preferred number of students and/or projects they would like to bring on the application form.
For both events, participating districts will determine their own process for selecting students to attend. Many districts will host school-wide, district-wide, or regional showcases and select students to participate in the statewide showcase based on their performance in these local or regional events.
Districts may apply for up to $5,000 in DESE funding (FC591 Civics Project Showcase Grant) to support the planning and hosting of school-wide or district-wide showcases and to assist with transportation costs for students to attend the statewide events. Districts interested in collaborating to plan regional showcase events may apply for up to $15,000 plus an additional $1000 for each district beyond three.
Districts who are interested in applying for the grant should also make sure to complete the application for the civics project showcases. If you are interested in applying for funding, the application form will automatically direct you to the grant posting.
The application deadline is early so that districts that are applying for grant funding can know in advance if they will receive funds to support local or regional civics project showcases.
Participating districts will receive presentation rubrics, guidance for planning local/regional events, and suggestions for classroom teachers as they prepare students to participate.
Email any questions to Rebekah Judson . Questions and answers will also be posted to this running document .
Last Updated: January 5, 2023
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 75 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA 02148-4906
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