PHENND Fellows: School Civics Education Program Coordinator

Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts is a statewide nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that all Pennsylvanians can come to our courts with confidence that they will be heard by qualified, fair and impartial judges. The PHENND Fellow will play a leadership role in maintaining our current school programs and developing new partnerships in Philadelphia and surrounding counties (Delaware, Montgomery, Chester, Bucks, Leigh and Northampton (Lehigh Valley, Carbon, etc). Our civics education program works with Title 1 schools, or schools with a with a student population at or below the poverty level. Many of the students have had some experience or encounter with the judicial system, either themselves or through a friend or family member, yet don¿t fully understand what has occurred or their rights. Title 1 students face many economic, social, emotional, language and cognitive barriers, and opportunity barriers. PMC aims to offer them education, connections, and opportunities that many students in the suburban schools and private schools already receive. We believe that providing students with an education centered on the rule of law is crucial to maintaining democratic norms, upholding our Constitution, and restoring public confidence in the judiciary which is currently at an all-time low. PMC brings lawyers and judges into the classroom, exposing students to different topics of the law and bringing students into the courtroom. We hope to inspire students to become involved in our democracy and judicial system and to better understand how laws are applied and interpreted.

This project is a part of the PHENND Fellows VISTA program housed at the Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development (PHENND). PHENND is a network of over 25 colleges and universities that strengthens service-learning, civic engagement, and community partnership in Philadelphia.