November 2004

SMPA Project Receives $25,000 Grant From the Herb Block Foundation

The School of Media and Public Affairs’ Washington DC Student Voices Project received a $25,000 grant from the Herb Block Foundation. The funds will be used to continue the ongoing youth participation in and awareness of government and community affairs and their effect on individuals in the District of Columbia.

In its third year in District high schools, DC Student Voices seeks to increase youth participation in civil society. The program teaches students how to understand and speak out about community and city-wide issues and how to get engaged in the local political process. They participate in forums, talk to local leaders and advocates in the classroom, and develop projects designed for hands-on learning. DC Student Voices is part of a nationwide civics education program initiative in 1999 by the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, with funding from the Annenberg Foundation.

“This award recognizes the hard work of the DC Student Voices staff, the participating teachers and the students involved,” said Sean Aday, assistant professor for media and public affairs and principal investigator for the DC Student Voices Project. “The grant will allow us to continue helping kids see the relevance of the political process and teach them how to get involved so they can be involved citizens and future voters.”

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