Massachusetts Civics Project Showcases

Save the date for our Spring 2025 Showcases! See details below and register to join our webinars on December 17 (8am or 4pm). Join our Civics Memo mailing list to receive updates about the Showcases and other civics education programs.

Video highlights from our 2024 Massachusetts Civics Project Showcase in Worcester, one of three regional events! See highlights from our 2023 event.

Each spring, DESE celebrates the work of 8th–12th grade civics students across the state! Through "science fair-style" showcases, students have the opportunity to share their civics projects with local community advisors and each other, receive feedback on their work, and be recognized for their civic engagement. In 2024, DESE hosted three regional Civics Project Showcases in Bridgewater, Worcester, and Amherst. Students from 70 schools participated across the three events, showcasing projects on topics from the environment to educational equity to mental health.

For questions about the Civics Project Showcases, please email Rebekah Judson .

Spring 2025 Civics Project Showcases

This year, DESE will host four regional Civics Project Showcases in partnership with Generation Citizen. Register to join one of two webinars on December 17 (8am and 4pm) to learn more. All events will run from 9am–1pm. Dates and locations are listed below:

Dartmouth: UMass Dartmouth, Tuesday, May 27
Springfield: MassMutual Center, Wednesday, May 28
Worcester: DCU Center, Monday, June 2
Boston: Edward M. Kennedy Institute, Friday, June 6

For Schools and Districts: Planning for the Civics Project Showcases

Interested in bringing your students to a Civics Project Showcase in Spring 2025? See the below documents for additional details.

For Community Members: Serve as a Community Advisor

At each Showcase, volunteer community advisors have short conversations with students about their projects, asking questions and offering feedback based on their own expertise. Given the wide range in project topics, advisors come from a diversity of backgrounds: community organizers, legislators, business and non-profit leaders, educators, healthcare workers, and more. To be notified when we are looking for advisors for next year's showcases, please fill out this interest form.

2024 Civics Project Commendations

Commendations represent exemplary student-led civics projects that were presented at our regional Civics Project Showcases. The following project groups received commendations following our three 2024 events based on nominations from participating community advisors.

Research and Investigation Commendations

These project groups conducted deep research into the root causes of their issue, gathered compelling evidence, and made clear and persuasive arguments about why action is needed.

"A Woman's Worth" — Blanchard Middle School, Westford Public Schools

"Bathroom Accessibility Issues" — Springfield High School of Science and Technology, Springfield Public Schools

"Consumerism" — Randolph Middle School, Randolph Public Schools

"Dealing with Food Waste" — Cohasset Middle School, Cohasset Public Schools

"Declining Pollinators and Effective Responses" — Amherst Regional Middle School, Amherst-Pelham Regional School District

"Fighting Gentrification and Raising Historical Awareness: Benefits of Action and Regulation" — Blake Middle School, Medfield Public Schools

"Food Insecurity" — Albert Ford Middle School, Acushnet Public Schools

"Foodraiser: Student Hunger and Food Insecurity" — Sullivan Middle School, Worcester Public Schools

"Juvenile Justice Education: Protecting the Path for Youth" — Rindge Avenue Upper School, Cambridge Public Schools

"MCAS: Removing the Requirement" — Taunton High School, Taunton Public Schools

"Outdoor Classroom" — Medway Middle School, Medway Public Schools

"Peace & Justice: Gun Violence" — New Heights Charter School of Brockton

Planning for Impact Commendations

These project groups developed detailed action plans with clear goals that related to the root causes of their issue, logical decision-makers/influencers to target, and a range of tactics.

"Access to Clean Drinking Water" — Cohasset Middle School, Cohasset Public Schools

"Addressing Food Insecurities for Immigrant Families" — Lowell High School, Lowell Public Schools

"CHIME: Children Highly Involved in Mental Education" — Springfield Public Day Middle School, Springfield Public Schools

"Eliminating the Grade 10 MCAS Graduation Requirement" — North Andover Middle School, North Andover

"Energizing the Foster Care Situation in Massachusetts" — Whitman Hanson Regional High School, Whitman Hanson Regional School District</blockquote>
"Making Households Eco-Friendly" — Herberg Middle School, Pittsfield Public Schools

"Preventing Burnout in Student Athletes" — Norton High School, Norton Public Schools

"Raise the Age: Gun Safety" — Monomoy Regional High School, Monomoy Regional School District

"Reducing Apponequet Athletic Fees" — Apponequet Regional High School, Freetown Lakeville Regional School District

"Reducing Carbon Emissions in Westford" — Stony Brook School, Westford Public Schools

"Summer Transportation in Scituate" — Scituate High School, Scituate Public Schools

"Water Fountains at School" — McDevitt Middle School, Waltham Public Schools

"Women's Rights" — Mohawk Trail Regional Middle School, Mohawk Trail Regional School District

Taking Action Commendations

These project groups reached the action stage and put their plans into practice, using a range of tactics to advocate for change and persuade decision-makers to support their goals.

"Care Packages for the Homeless" — Greenfield High School, Greenfield Public Schools

"Empowering Students with Financial Knowledge" — Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School, Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District

"Exploratory Class Choices" — McCall Middle School, Winchester Public Schools

"Funding for Drug Treatment" — Forest Grove Middle School, Worcester Public Schools

"Gorilla Garden!!" — Holyoke Community Charter School

"Making Cultures Visible in Cambridge Public Schools" — Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, Cambridge Public Schools

"Period Poverty (Hunking Care Box)" — unking Middle School, Haverhill Public Schools

"Providing Support for Families Involved in the Justice System" — Norton High School, Norton Public Schools

"Sidewalk Safety" — Haverhill High School, Haverhill Public Schools

"Social Media Effects on Teens" — Hunking Middle School, Haverhill Public Schools

"The STAR Group-Students Together Are Resilient" — Whittier School, Everett Public Schools

"Together We Remember: Creating a Dementia-Friendly Community" — Nipmuc Regional High School, Mendon Upton Regional School District

Overall Commendations

These project groups did an excellent job across at least four out of five categories on the project rubric.

"Addressing Lead-Contaminated Water in Massachusetts Schools" — Lowell High School, Lowell Public Schools

"Calming Canines" — Hudson High School, Hudson Public Schools

"Clean Water" — New Heights Charter School of Brockton

"Composting in Sudbury Public Schools" — Curtis Middle School, Sudbury Public Schools

"Disposable Trays: Clean up your caf" — Dartmouth Middle School, Dartmouth Public Schools

"Drug Abuse" — Veritas Prep Charter School (Springfield)

"Food Insecurity" — Mohawk Trail Regional High School, Mohawk Trail Regional School District

"Mental Health" — Reid Middle School, Pittsfield Public Schools

"Mental Health Awareness" — Albert Ford Middle School, Acushnet Public Schools

"Rebuilding Massachusetts High Schools" — Freetown Lakeville Middle School, Freetown Lakeville Regional School District

"Teen Pregnancy and Sexual Education" — Daley Middle School, Lowell Public Schools

Last Updated: November 29, 2024