Eighteen California schools have been named recipients of the 2023 Civic Learning Awards, an honor that recognizes measurable schoolwide achievements in civics. The award is co-sponsored by state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero.

“We know that when young people activate their voices, they can be among the strongest change agents in our communities,” said Thurmond, in a news release. “Education is the cornerstone of realizing our democratic ideals, and these schools have made extraordinary contributions to building the leaders of tomorrow.”

The top three honorees receiving the Civic Learning Award of Excellence and receiving a visit from Chief Justice Guerrero this fall are:

Three schools earned a Civic Learning Award of Distinction, and their awards will be presented by a visiting judicial officer. They are:

During the pandemic, the award program continued to celebrate promising civics programs and Champions of Civics. With campuses reopening to in-person learning, the award returned to its origins of asking applicants to describe how schoolwide policy and practices help support and expand civics in the classroom and through community activities before and after school hours.

Notable this year: Thirty-eight schools submitted applications. Thirteen applied for the first time. More non-traditional schools submitted applications than ever before. One of them, Maywood Center for Enriched Studies, was awarded the top honor.

All applications are scored by educators and representatives from the CDE and the California Judicial Branch.

The following schools earned a Civic Learning Award of Merit:

Fresno County — Dry Creek Elementary School (Clovis Unified); and Garfield Elementary School (Clovis Unified). Los Angeles County — Los Robles Academy (Hacienda la Puente Unified); Nelson Elementary School (Hacienda la Puente Unified); Orange Grove Middle School (Hacienda la Puente Unified); and Sierra Vista Middle School (Hacienda la Puente Unified). Orange County ­­— Anaheim High School (Anaheim Union High School District); and South Junior High School (Anaheim Union High School District). Riverside County — Norte Vista High School (Alvord Unified). Sacramento County — Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Middle School (NP3) (Natomas Unified); Natomas Pacific Pathways High School (Natomas Unified); and Vista del Lago High School (Folsom-Cordova Unified).

More civic learning and engagement resources are available on the CDE Resources to Support Civic Engagement web page, www.cde.ca.gov/pd/ca/hs/civicengprojects.asp.

F3 Law has created a complimentary three-part video series designed to help students understand the origins and interpretation of the First Amendment. “Speaking of… Free Speech in a Changing Society” is available at no cost to any educator who would like to employ the resources in their curriculum.

As students become increasingly aware of the power of exercising their rights, discussions about the First Amendment are particularly relevant. But what protections does the First Amendment really provide and how does it apply to contemporary issues? To address these important questions, F3 Law created this video, divided into three 15-minute parts, to be used as a resource in high school government and civics classes.

Any educator who would like to use “Speaking Of… Free Speech in a Changing Society” as a resource in their curriculum can access the video series free of charge on the F3 Law website at f3law.com/civics. The resource has also been linked on ACSA’s Resource Hub at content.acsa.org.

Nominations are now being accepted for ACSA’s Exemplary Woman in Education Award, which will be presented at the 2023 Women in School Leadership Forum. ACSA is seeking outstanding women in educational leadership.

The nominee should serve as a role model for other women and demonstrate a passion for the profession; a commitment to grow and develop others; a demonstrated desire to give back through public and/or community service; advocacy for the value of school administrators and contributes to the improvement of the profession; and demonstrated effective crisis leadership. Nominee must be an ACSA member to qualify.

Visit acsa.org/womensaward to submit your nomination by Friday, July 14.