Pasadena’s Marshall Fundamental Showcases Award-Winning Civic Education Program

California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye (left). – Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News

Marshall Fundamental Secondary School hosted a recognition event on Friday, April 13, 2018, to highlight its civic learning program award.  Marshall is a recipient of the high school level 2018 “Award of Excellence,” the highest honor in the annual Civic Learning Awards program sponsored by California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. The Chief Justice presented the Award of Excellence at the recognition event.

“It’s refreshing to see how creative educators and motivated students learn about the power of democracy,” said Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye. “These courses and programs help motivate our leaders of tomorrow.”

Marshall’s civic learning programs include the Innovation Project. Students study specific problems that impact their daily lives, such as drought, transportation, and waste management. Using a project-based learning approach, they research the issues before drafting plans, legislation, and grant proposals.  Students then present their grant proposals to panels of industry professionals and policymakers, and get an in-depth look at the way local and regional public policies are developed.

“Congratulations to the students of Marshall,” said Board of Education President Roy Boulghourjian.  “Marshall’s dynamic program is creating avenues for students to connect classroom learning with local, national, and global issues, and actively engages them in having a positive impact on the world around them.”

The statewide Civic Learning Awards program celebrates public schools’ efforts to engage students in civic learning.  In addition to the Awards of Excellence, six other schools received Awards of Distinction and 65 received Awards of Merit. Winners were selected by a panel of experts based on the depth and breadth of their civic learning courses/clubs/programs. Award winning schools are recognized for engaging students in civic learning and identified as a model that can be replicated in other schools.

“I’m thrilled that Marshall is getting recognition for this important program,” said Dr. Mark Anderson, Principal of Marshall Fundamental. “The annual project actively engages students in real-world problems that impact their lives and creates avenues for them to acquire deeper knowledge, explore challenges, and develop solutions.”

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