Education

Education Committee Program, 2020-2021

1. Build on the successful efforts of our 2020 Civics Challenge by organizing and promoting community-wide civics challenges annually. The goals of the civics challenges are to foster a greater understanding of government, increase voter participation and engagement, and build community on a non-partisan basis.
2. Explore the possibility of a civics challenge oriented around the secondary schools which would have the added benefit of educating our younger citizens about their civic responsibilities, preparing them for their roles as future voters, and encouraging greater civic engagement.
3. Engage members and inform the Board on local, state, and national education positions related to goals of the League.

Coming Soon …. Second Annual Newton Civics Challenge!

The Education Committee will be keeping a close eye on the status of the coronavirus pandemic throughout the year to determine if it will be possible to hold an in-person civics challenge in 2020-2021, or if a virtual civics challenge will be feasible.  Stay tuned!

Here is information from the March, 2020 Inaugural Newton Civics Challenge:

• Register now!
• Sample Questions and Resources
• Format and Rules

Read about LWVN’s Inaugural Newton Civics Challenge, held March 1, 2020

On March 1, 2020, we held our inaugural Civics Challenge at the Cabot School cafeteria. The Civics Challenge,  formatted like a trivia quiz, included three general rounds and one final round of multiple choice, true/false, and open response questions on topics including: the constitution; federal, state, and local government, history, and current events. We also had two “special” rounds with a focus on the Massachusetts presidential primary and the women’s suffrage movement in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment.

9 teams participated, consisting of family and community groups, middle schoolers, high schoolers, college students, teachers from NSHS, and a group from the Newton TAB. All participants received pocket constitutions, and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners earned prizes of gift certificates to local retail establishments. The 1st place winners also earned a special prize of the tour of the State House, generously donated by our state legislators.

City Councilor Josh Krintzman and former Board of Alderman President Brooke Lipsitt were our informative and entertaining masters of ceremony. Our judges for the afternoon included Courtney Rau Rogers (LWV Norwood president and Bigelow Middle School vice-principal), and Board members Linda Morrison and Sue Flicop. Several city councilors (Alicia Bowman, Brenda Noel), Board members, and general league members helped out as enthusiastic “team liaisons.” The cost of the event was funded almost entirely by a donation from the Village Bank.