There is a wealth of information on youth civic engagement. Hundreds of organizations throughout the country are researching, implementing and experimenting with ways to educate and engage students of all ages in politics and civic life. One of NHACE's goals is to centralize this information in one place. We hope you make good use of the following resources and organizations. If you know of a good resource that is not listed here, please let us know by e-mailing ccnh@compactnh.org.
● National Organizations
● State Organizations
A Directory of Directories
The following Web sites have comprehensive directories to the leading organizations in the country that focus on youth civic engagement.
The American Political Science Associationwww.apsanet.org/section_245.cfm
CIRCLE
www.civicyouth.org/practitioners/practitioners_outside27.htm
Center for Civic Education
www.civiced.org
Center for Civic Education
www.civiced.org
The Center for Civic Education is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational corporation dedicated to fostering the development of informed, responsible
participation in civic life by citizens committed to values and principles fundamental to American constitutional democracy. The Center specializes in
civic/citizenship education, law-related education, and international educational exchange programs for developing democracies. Programs focus on the U.S.
Constitution and Bill of Rights; American political traditions and institutions at the federal, state, and local levels; constitutionalism; civic
participation; and the rights and responsibilities of citizens.
CIRCLE (The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement)
www.civicyouth.org
CIRCLE promotes research on the civic and political engagement of Americans between the ages of 15 and 25. Although CIRCLE conducts and funds research,
not practice, the projects that they support have practical implications for those who work to increase young people's engagement in politics and civic life.
CIRCLE's Web site has a tremendous amount of research; a directory of civic groups throughout the country; and a list of projects they have funded.
The Civic Mission of Schools Report
www.civicmissionofschools.org
The Campaign for the Civic Mission Schools was created to increase the quality and quantity of civic learning in our schools, grades K-12. The
Campaign works to bring about changes in state, local, and national policy that promote civic learning and implement the recommendations in the
Civic Mission of Schools report.
National Center for Learning and Citizenship
www.ecs.org/nclc
A project of the Education Commission of the States, NCLC provides information about service-learning and citizenship education through publications and on
the Web site. They offer a variety of insightful printed resources, including a series of issue briefs that address critical service-learning
issues. Resources include case studies highlighting successful K-12 programs linking service with learning; research findings, studies and stories
about the impact of service, service-learning and volunteerism on students, schools, and communities.
National Council for the Social Studies
www.ncss.org
Founded in 1921, National Council for the Social Studies has grown to be the largest association in the country devoted solely to social studies education.
The mission of National Council for the Social Studies is to provide leadership, service, and support for all social studies educators. NCSS engages and supports
educators in strengthening and advocating social studies. With members in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 69 foreign countries, NCSS serves as an
umbrella organization for elementary, secondary, and college teachers of history, geography, economics, political science, sociology, psychology, anthropology, and law-related education.
Community of Caring
www.communityofcaring.org/AboutCofC/overview.html
Community of Caring is a K-l2, whole school, comprehensive character education program with a unique focus on disabilities. Community of Caring
was founded in 1982 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver and has been adopted by almost 1000 schools nationwide and in Canada. It is research-based and has a proven
record of accomplishment. Community of Caring believes that the universally accepted ethical values of caring, respect, responsibility, trust and
family are the foundation on which responsible decisions and behaviors are based.
National Student/Parent Mock Election
www.nationalmockelection.org
The National Student/Parent Mock Election makes students and parents aware of the power of their ballot by actively involving them in a full-fledged
campaign and national election. In the last two presidential election years alone, over 10 million students, parents and teachers participated in all
50 states, Washington, DC, and 14 countries/territories around the world where Americans are based. Over 40 million have
participated since the project began. The National Student/Parent Mock Election is a non-profit, non-partisan organization.
National Association of Student Councils
www.nasc.us/s_nasc/index.asp
The National Association of Student Councils seeks to promote student participation within the school and its community, encourage the development of new
student councils in high schools and middle level schools, and assist all student councils in becoming more effective organizations within their school, community, state, and nation.
Youth to Youth International
www.y2yint.com
Youth to Youth was founded in 1982 in Columbus, Ohio, as a community-based drug prevention and youth leadership program focusing primarily on middle
school and high school students. The goal of its many projects is harnessing the powerful influence of peer pressure – making it a positive force that
encourages young people to live free of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs.
YMCA Youth & Government
www.ymcapa.org/2004_interface/National/results_page.asp
The purpose of the YMCA Youth & Government program is to bring the workings of state government alive to students. It creates an opportunity for students
to discuss current state issues with state administrators, elected officials and students from high schools and YMCAs throughout the state. Each
conference is led by teens elected to office by their fellow delegates. Each state provides facilities and volunteers from various state
departments who act as resources for the students while they debate the issues. Students debate and vote on the bills that their fellow delegates have written and presented.
Girls State
www.legion-aux.org/
The American Legion Auxiliary Girls State Program has provided high school Juniors all across the country the opportunity to participate in a hands-on
citizenship training program for over 60 years. These young ladies learn government by actually creating a mythical state through the election of
public officials on local, county, and state levels and then by carrying out the duties of these respective offices.
League of Women Voters
www.lwv.org
The League of Women Voters of the United States is a nonpartisan organization that neither supports nor opposes candidates for office at any level of
government. At the same time, the League is wholeheartedly political - working to influence policy through education and advocacy. It is the
original grassroots citizen network, directed by the consensus of its members nationwide. From its inception in 1920, the League of Women Voters has
been a leading voice for change, strengthening our democratic system at every level of government.
The New Hampshire Institute of Politics
www.anselm.edu/nhiop
The New Hampshire Institute of Politics (NHIOP) at Saint Anselm College was established in 1999 to serve as a resource for students, scholars, politicians,
and the general public throughout N.H. Founded on the premise that engaged citizens are vital for a healthy democracy, the Institute conducts programming
and research that are designed to enlighten and engage citizens throughout New Hampshire for a lifetime of civic participation.
Campus Compact for New Hampshire
www.compactnh.org
CCNH is a statewide coalition of N.H. college and university presidents committed to the civic purposes of higher education. To support this civic mission, CCNH
promotes community service that develops students' civic skills and values, encourages partnerships between campuses and communities, and assists faculty
who seek to integrate public and community engagement into their teaching and research.
Kids Voting New Hampshire
www.kidsvotingusa.org/index.cfm
Kids Voting N.H. is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, organization that fosters an informed, participating electorate by educating and actively engaging young
people and their families in voting and other elements of effective civic engagement. The Kids Voting USA program combines innovative classroom
activities with an authentic voting experience to enable students to practice all the skills necessary for taking part in our representative
democracy. What makes the program truly unique is the authentic voting experience that mirrors the official voting process.
N.H. Mock Election: A Student/Parent Project
www.nhptv.org/mockelection/
The N.H. Mock Election makes students and parents aware of the power of their ballot by actively involving them in a full-fledged campaign and national
election. In the 2004 N.H. Primary Mock Election, 28,638 students voted in 116 schools across N.H.
City Year New Hampshire
www.cityyear.org/sites/new_hampshire
City Year New Hampshire, a proud member of AmeriCorps, engages individuals age 17-24 in full-time national and community service to New
Hampshire as Corps Members. City Year New Hampshire Corps Members are idealistic individuals who are committed to the belief that a small group of
thoughtful individuals can make lasting change and impact the lives of others. City Year New Hampshire Corps Members serve others and challenge themselves
by completing high impact projects such as community service days, literacy tutoring, and after school programming.
UNH Cooperative Extension 4-H
http://ceinfo.unh.edu/4H/4H.htm
4-H is the youth educational program of UNH Cooperative Extension. The mission of 4-H is to help young people acquire knowledge, develop life skills,
and form attitudes to enable them to become self-directing, productive, and contributing members of society. 4-H emphasizes the importance of
involving youth in the learning process. It is offered free of charge to youth ages 5-18. Members and volunteers live in towns, cities, farms, and suburbs.
American Legion New Hampshire Boys State
http://members.cox.net/nhboysstate/
The American Legion's Boys State program is a unique way for young men to learn about the American system of government by taking part in a mock governmental
system. The program occurs for one week each summer in 49 of the 50 states. Young men that have just completed their junior year of high school travel to
a college or university location in their home state. They learn by doing. Boys State citizens are divided into two political parties that in no way
reflect the ideologies of the current political system. The citizens then work within their parties to elect party leadership and develop platform ideas.
Makin’ It Happen
www.makinithappen.org
Based in Manchester, New Hampshire, Makin' it Happen is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving youth using a unique, challenging, and proven
approach to building positive attitudes in youth. Makin' It Happen works to build developmental assets in all youth. They accomplish this by helping the
community to see all young people as "at promise," not "at risk", teaching and engaging the entire community - families, schools, businesses,
congregations, media and others - to build assets, fostering community collaboration and service integration, and providing meaningful opportunities for youth involvement.
Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications
www.loebschool.org
The Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications, Inc. is a private nonprofit school founded in 1999 by Mrs. Loeb, late president and publisher of The Union
Leader and New Hampshire Sunday News newspapers of New Hampshire. The school's focus is in communications with an emphasis on journalism
studies and was founded to "kindle the enthusiasm of future generations of journalists by providing a solid foundation of skills and values." The school offers classes,
workshops, and the First Amendment Forum.
New Hampshire Public Television ((NHPTV) Knowledge Network
www.nhptv.org/kn
The NHPTV Knowledge Network is committed to providing learners of all ages with technology-based resources, programs and services to enhance the
learning experience. Fully engaged in its present and committed to its future, NHPTV celebrates and helps sustain our state's history, traditions, and
values through excellence in electronic communications. Their mission is to serve the public interest through education, culture and citizenship.
New Hampshire Council for Social Studies
www.nhcss.org
The NHCSS is dedicated to developing an active and informed citizenry by strengthening and supporting social studies education in New Hampshire through all
parts of the social studies─civics, economics, geography, history, sociology, psychology, archaeology, anthropology, and law.
