Civic Education for Latino Youth
This mini-grant supported curriculum development and activities to build a new civics education program for Latino youth. CLUES integrated this civics education curriculum across the existing Youth in Action (YA!) program.
Civics Education. $250,000 the first year and $250,000 the second year are for a competitive Arts and Cultural Heritage Grants Program-Civics Education. The commissioner shall award grants to entities that conduct civics education programs for the civic and cultural development of Minnesota youth.
- Develop relevant and engaging Civics Education curriculum, topics, and workshops to be integrated into our Latino youth leadership programs.
- Latino youth will increase understanding of policy-making procedures and develop leadership skills through integration of civics initiatives, topics, and workshops into CLUES' youth leadership programs.
- Develop partnerships with community organizations able to offer volunteer and internship opportunities for students that will allow the students to gain relevant experience and give back to their communities.
CLUES met and/or exceeded the proposed outcome objectives as measured by the following results:
• The Youth in Action (YA!) program has created a dynamic, culturally relevant, and engaging civic engagement curriculum, which teaches our Latino youth the importance and benefits of being active, contributing citizens within their community.
• 91 percent of students surveyed agreed that civics education and engagement curriculum were engaging and relevant to their daily lives and concerns.
• 50 Latino youth participated in civics education and engagement pilot classes and activities.
o 98% of the 2013-2014 youth have participated in the civic engagement workshops.
o Average monthly workshop attendance is approximately 80%, with increased attendance each month.
• 78 percent of students surveyed mid-way through the year indicated that they increased their understanding of government systems and policy making procedures.
• 91 percent of students surveyed indicated that they feel more confident and competent to express their perspectives and influence laws and policies that are important to them than they did at the beginning of the year.
• Youth in Action (YA!) has cultivated 8 strong partnerships, including: St. Paul Public Schools, MN Historical Society, Metropolitan State University (Institute for Community Engagement and Scholarship), Heartland Democracy, Sprockets, Free the Children Project, The Humanities Center, and Hamline University.
• Over half of the students engaged in service learning:
o 34 students participated in a group service learning activity writing letters and assembling packages to send to U.S. troops abroad in war torn countries.
o 11 students and 5 mentors volunteered with CLUES’ Toys for Tots distribution event.
o 41% percent of students surveyed did volunteer work outside of the YA! Program.
Vice-Chairperson - Frank Fernandez, President, Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Plus of Minnesota;
Treasurer - Thierry Ibri, Vice-President, Marketing – Big G Division, General Mills;
Secretary - Inell Rosario, M.D., Midwest Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialists;
Lenys Alcoreza, Vice-President - National Sales and Marketing, United Health Group;
Mary Jo Avendaño, Children’s Mental Health Division, State Program Administrator Coordinator, Minnesota Department of Human Services;
Melissa Franzen, Community Relations Process Owner, Target Corporation and District 49 Senator, Minnesota Senate;
Father Kevin McDonough, Pastor, Saint Peter Claver Catholic Church/Capellán; Sagrado;
Jeffrey Savage, Vice President and Controller, Xcel Energy;
Mario de la Torre Borja, Business Development Manager, Latin America Region, 3M;
Alan Willits, President, Cargill Corn Milling – North America