Our curriculum helps students see themselves as participants and leaders in their communities: their schools, neighborhoods, cities, and country. We develop several skills that students can connect with their current coursework and learning outside of the classroom.

Civic Identity: Getting students to become conscious of the values that guide their actions and those of their communities, as well as facets of their identity that make them unique: personality traits, likes and dislikes, skills and hopes, and the communities they call home.

Community Engagement: "It takes a village to raise a child." Students are part of a larger network of people who help make communities safe, healthy, and responsive to the unique needs of their members. We highlight and celebrate the hard work of these community members, from construction workers to nurses to park rangers.

Connecting Across Difference: Being part of a community involves meeting people with different beliefs, values, and backgrounds. Students practice norms for civil disagreement, with plenty of space to ask questions, make mistakes, and learn from each other along the way.

Democratic Process: Learning about the issues. Making speeches. Tallying votes. We discuss the procedures governments use to elect leaders and effect change, such as majority and supermajority rule, and the process of getting a bill to become law.

Democratic Principles: Clarifying the guiding values of our governments and communities. Our founding documents and community leaders emphasize abstract concepts like justice, equality, and freedom. But what do they look like in practice? Are we living up to these values today?

History: An awareness of historical developments that have shaped who gets a say in government and how people have campaigned for greater inclusion and exclusion. We help students see how they are part of a long tradition of civically engaged community members.

Leadership Development: Every learner can be a leader, and this involves helping students see their potential as leaders and developing the skills necessary for leadership. We ground our theory of leadership in service: giving back to the causes and communities students hold dear.