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Gearing up for a new school year

         
It’s almost school time again! Of course, it’s normal for kids to feel a mixture of excitement, nerves, and even some end-of-summer sadness as the first day of school approaches. We understand this, which is why our before- and after-school staff at our six Community Learning Centers, or CLCs, is sharpening their skills as the new year approaches.
On July 29, our full- and part-time staff met at the Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center in Omaha for our Fall 2022 Kickoff. Civic Nebraska is the lead agency at CLCs at Sherman and Lothrop elementary schools and Lewis & Clark Middle School in Omaha; and Campbell Elementary School, Lincoln High, and Lincoln Northeast High in Lincoln.
The daylong gathering included a storytelling workshop with Haroon Al Hayder, our LHS CLC leader; a festive discussion called Do You Know Your Role? with Equasha Smith and Brianna White, who lead our Lothrop and Sherman CLCs, respectively; plus panel presentations from our advocacy teams and asset-mapping exercises to highlight our CLCs’ strengths and focus areas.
“We, the people” includes our youngest Americans, too. Enriching our students with the building blocks of civic learning allows them to more easily develop critical thinking, civic leadership, and civil discourse skills. Engaged, informed citizens must be able to evaluate situations and then act for positive change. Students who can think critically about, and make meaning of, societal issues are better able to navigate their individual environments – and succeed in them.
These skills have immense transformative power. They are the cornerstones of active, productive citizenship in our democratic society. Through our Youth Civic Leadership work, Civic Nebraska empowers young people to critically and creatively engage with the world – and work to improve it.
Do you have a passion for helping young people grow? Civic Nebraska’s Youth Civic Leadership program is hiring. Visit our employment opportunities page for details.