Streamwood High School, in School District U-46, is one of 13 schools in the state to be named to the 2016 Illinois Democracy Schools  list for its efforts to develop active and engaged citizens. Streamwood High School students volunteer in the community and get an up-close view of local government that school leaders hope will expand as part of making the Illinois Civic Mission Coalition’s list.

“This is a really exciting opportunity for our students and Streamwood High School,” said Dr. Terri Lozier, U-46 Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Schools, Instruction and Equity. “The partnership with the Democracy Schools Network will expose our students to more opportunities and experiences, inside and outside the classroom, that engage them with their local and statewide communities.”

The Illinois Civic Mission Coalition recognizes schools that provide students with the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary for informed, effective engagement in our democracy.

Streamwood put together a multi-disciplinary teacher team to create a school-wide civic audit with a goal list and plan for introducing democratic principles in classrooms as part of the application process to the ICMC. The plan includes supporting community outreach and a new Student Senate that addresses student-centered solutions to school challenges.

The teacher team’s current work includes the Student Service Learning and Leadership class and Student Government Day for SHS seniors in April when students will job shadow employees representing more than 90 positions in the Streamwood, Hanover Township or park district governmental bodies.

Streamwood High School will receive a $3,000 stipend from the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, which brings together the ICMC to invest in high-quality civic learning initiatives. The stipend will be used to support various student-led community outreach programs in addition to classroom lessons that address controversial issues and help students better understand and discuss them.

“We’re looking forward to increasing the democratic capital in our students and school,” said Nick Vassalo, Streamwood High School social studies teacher. “Streamwood High School can now strengthen its position in the community as a beacon of growth, opportunity and stability.”

As part of this achievement, SHS is a member of the Democracy Schools Network, a community of faculty and administrators that supports sustained commitment through peer-to-peer learning and collaboration between schools.

Democracy Schools foster a school climate that nurtures and models civic dispositions and builds strong relationships within the surrounding community. These schools provide students with various opportunities to participate in the democratic process such as engaging in current and controversial issue discussions, participating in democratic simulations and providing service learning opportunities. Through these practices, students see firsthand the critical role they play in shaping government and society.

Since 2006, 54 Illinois high schools have been recognized as Democracy Schools. To learn more, see this brief U-46 video on Streamwood’s plans.

SOURCE: Streamwood High School news release