Program gives students a fresh look at civics

Earlier this week students from 6th-12th grade celebrated our Nation's birthday in advance as part of a pilot program unique to Guam.

The District Court of Guam is hosting a Summer Civics Education Camp, which is part of Civics, a nation-wide initiative started by Sandra Day O'Connor. Founded in 2009, she developed iCivics to address her concern about the disappearance of civic education in curricula across the nation and the lack of student interest by combining innovative and engaging methods.

She says the camp offers students a fresh look understanding civics, Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood said.

"We'll the goal is... two things, number one for the students to learn about civics education I mean, really to understand the three branches of government: the executive, the judicial and legislative branches," she said. "I think it's so important so that they can understand what their mission may be in life in terms of participation of voting; of understanding what their rights are."

Tydingco-Gatewood launched iCivics as a personal promise to Justice O'Connor, noting that Guam is the first territory to participate. The District Court's Community Outreach Director, Stacy McDonald Flores researched the program and prepared two student teachers for the camp, college intern Lauren Villanueva and Notre Dame High School Senior, Sarai Terlaje, who created their own lesson plans and curriculum to instruct the camp participants. Terlaje talked about how teaching is actually helping her to learn more.

"I'm learning as we play these games, like the game on the board, "do I have a right," Terlaje said. "It helps me remember more of the constitutions, what they're about and how to apply them. But the one that really stood out to me was probably the amendment to abolish slavery, I think was the biggest impact on me."

Before participating in the camp, she said civics was just a concept for her.

"But learning in iCivics has really helped me to understand that it's not just something that's in the constitution, it's something that's actually real and that it affects people," Terlaje said.


Villanueva had heard of the program until the opportunity to be a student-teacher was presented to her.

"I took it with open arms because... especially nowadays kids are so motivated to be involved with politics and current events, and I believe giving them a platform where they can learn more about it is very important," she said. "It's very rewarding to see that they're enjoying what they learn, you know. 'Cause I do enjoy teaching them a lot."

Camp participants also get to attend field trips to other agencies like the U.S. and Judiciary of Guam Marshals Departments, Guam Police Department's crime lab, the U.S. Secret Service and other federal agencies.

At the end of the camp, the District Court will send personal letters to each students' principal informing them of their successful completion of the course. The Court will invite and encourage the schools to launch the iCivics curriculum and recommend that the camp participants assist as student teachers.

Any schools, clubs, or camps interested in iCivics are asked to contact Stacy McDonald Flores at 969-4494.