FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 14, 2011
Contact: Anika Mitchell Perkins
(662) 329-7124
aperkins@pa.muw.edu

Mississippi Project Citizen State Showcase to highlight schools from across the state

COLUMBUS, Miss. – Schools from across the state that have tackled public policy issues in their community will be highlighted at the Mississippi Project Citizen State Showcase April 19-22.

The event will be held in the atrium of the Mississippi Department of Education in Jackson.

Sarah Sumners, professional development specialist for the Roger F. Wicker Center for Creative Learning, said, “The Mississippi Project Citizen State Showcase is the opportunity for students to have their work evaluated on a formal basis.”

Elementary, middle and high school students will present their public policy portfolios to panels of evaluators made up of state educators and civic leaders. One portfolio will be selected to represent Mississippi at the Project Citizen National Showcase held during the National Conference of State Legislators annual summit.

Last year, the Center for Creative Learning located at Mississippi University for Women was awarded $22,000 from the Center for Civic Education to direct Mississippi Project Citizen statewide, which is a civic education program that promotes competent and responsible participation in state and local government.

It actively teaches and encourages students how to monitor and to influence public policy and encourages civic participation among students, their parents and members in the community. In the process, students develop support for democratic values and principles, tolerance and feelings of political efficacy.

For more information, contact Sumners at (662) 241-6088 or ssumners@ccl.muw.edu.