| The trio of Social Sciences staff members (left to right)- Michael Horwits, Stan Levy and Bill Graham- were the designers and implementers of the program which ultimately selected the twenty-six student participants for a trip to the Obama Inauguration based on the scores they earned on the National Civic Literacy Quiz, on their class grades, and on written essays and interviews. Each student had to pay $100, but much of the estimated $10,000 in expenses associated with the trip was covered by Central High School being a recipient of an Ethel Percy Andrus Prize of $100,000 from AARP which the Social Science department won in May 2008. The award-winning project was based on three years of outstanding civic-engagement instruction. The students and their chaperones attended the Inauguration of Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States. "You can teach theory all day, but it's when you give kids an opportunity that most people don't have that it keeps them interested," Horwits said. Seven high schools throughout the United States received similar grant awards. In the case of CHS, the hard work of these three professionals provided the wherewithal for the students and their chaperones to experience first- hand the momentous and historic event- the inauguration of the first Black President, and perhaps a positive change in the course of our nation. (Photo courtesy of CHS Staff & Students) |
