The League of Women Voters of Orange County is honored to collaborate with the Harvard Business School and Orange County Public Schools to strengthen civics education in our high schools and community.
Harvard Professor David Moss has written 22 case studies from the Constitutional Convention to Civil Rights and beyond—each exploring a key decision point in the history of American democracy—designed to deepen students’ understanding and civic engagement. Developed for his undergraduate students and one of the highest-rated classes at Harvard, Dr. Moss piloted the cases with teachers in high schools in the 2014-15 school year. Field-tested over the past five years, the Harvard Case Method Project “History of American Democracy” curriculum is now offered in 25 states and the District of Columbia.
We are bringing the Harvard Case Method Project here to Orange County with our two selected outstanding teachers who will travel to Harvard: Eric Saegebarth, Juvenile Offenders Programmy, and Nicole Larson, Timber Creek High School. The Project is providing an all-expenses-paid professional development workshop scheduled for August 18 to 20 that will focus on preparing these teachers to deliver the History of American Democracy case-method curriculum in their classes next school year. They will also collaborate with the League of Women Voters of Orange County to offer community sessions to deliver cases to the general public starting Spring 2020.
There are 90 teachers sponsored by 50 League of Women Voters’ chapters from 21 states that will attend this historic Harvard training this summer. Palm Beach and Seminole Leagues will join us in representing Florida to improve civics education in our state. As a satisfied student remarked about the History of American Democracy case-method course, “If this class didn’t make every student in it a better citizen, I don’t know what class would.”
ABOUT THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF ORANGE COUNTY
With 917 members by the end of 2018, the League of Women Voters of Orange County is one of the largest single-county Leagues in the nation. About 20 percent of its members are men and young women are joining in record numbers. Like more than 800 state and local Leagues, the Orange County League encourages active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and—after extensive study and consensus—influences public policy through education and advocacy. The League is nonpartisan, neither supporting nor opposing candidates or political parties at any level of government, but always working on vital issues of concern to members of the public.
The local group’s crusades include public education, environmental preservation, protection of children, immigration reform, gun safety, open government, and improved health care and transportation. Leaguers have registered many thousands of voters and provided sound voting education for untold thousands more. They fight against voter suppression and for voter rights.
Tricia Huder, Eric Saegebarth, Rachel Sloane, OCPS, Marilyn Hefferan, William Tovine, Alternative Ed Principal
Tricia Huder, Nicole Larson, Gloria Pickar