Civics in Action: Seal of Civic Readiness inspires students to serve community
s the USA celebrates its 250th anniversary this year, NYSUT members are inviting students to participate more fully in their democracy through the Seal of Civic Readiness.
First established by the State Education Department in 2021, the Seal of Civic Readiness is a formal recognition that a student has attained a high level of proficiency in terms of civic knowledge, skills and experiences, as demonstrated through advanced social studies courses or electives and participation in service learning and projects.
Civic readiness grant
The following locals received grants:
- Bay Shore Classroom Teachers Association
- Canton Central TA
- Cornwall Central TA
- Fulton TA
- Greece TA
- Ithaca TA
- Lynbrook TA
- Oceanside Federation of Teachers
- Patchogue Medford Congress of Teachers
- Smithtown TA
- Suffern Education Association
- Trumansburg TA
- Watertown EA
- Webster TA
- William Floyd United Teachers
“If our goal is to prepare our students to be productive members of society, we are failing them if we’re not teaching them how to be engaged citizens,” said Lindsay Hedges, a social studies teacher and member of the Cheektowaga Central Teachers Association.
“We’re teaching them all the formulas, and the skills to be successful, but we’re not teaching them how to live within our society and coexist. We’re not teaching them … how to make change,” Hedges said.
Cheektowaga was one of the first districts to implement the seal in 2021. Hedges has been instrumental in building the program out since then. She teaches the year-long “Civics in Action” course, where her students research and present on community issues that matter most to them.
As the course title suggests, Hedges’ students must also find a way to make a real impact. “They have to take action and do something that brings awareness to the issue,” she said. Student work has included raising funds for mental health and Special Olympics, collecting toiletries for formerly incarcerated individuals, and donating to emergency food programs.
The seal can be a powerful civic catalyst. “When the kids own their passion and it’s something that they’re invested in, it’s amazing what they can do,” said Hedges.
“A lot of times, I find, it’s that first step. … This can be a doorway, helping (students) see a world beyond themselves,” said social studies teacher Andrew Britto. Britto and fellow social studies teacher Renae Bray, both members of the Pine Bush TA, have supervised the civics seal program since it was implemented in the district. Since 2024, 180 Pine Bush students have graduated with the seal.
Britto and Bray said much of the infrastructure needed to make Pine Bush’s program so successful was already in place, so their jobs have focused on reorganizing existing components and tracking student progress.
“We already had electives that aligned with civics — entrepreneurship, public speaking, criminal justice — so we worked with the teachers to make sure their class projects aligned with seal requirements,” said Bray. “We’ve had huge buy-in from our colleagues. Not just social studies, but English, science and business.”
The district also boasts a long history of summer leadership and law programs and an active student volunteer population. “Civic engagement was already embedded in our culture,” said Britto, adding that students just needed to understand how they fit in. “The guiding principle is to produce solid American citizens ready to contribute positively to their communities.”
“If our goal is to prepare our students to be productive members of society, we are failing them if we’re not teaching them how to be engaged citizens,” said Lindsay Hedges, a social studies teacher and member of the Cheektowaga Central Teachers Association.
“We’re teaching them all the formulas, and the skills to be successful, but we’re not teaching them how to live within our society and coexist. We’re not teaching them … how to make change,” Hedges said.
Cheektowaga was one of the first districts to implement the seal in 2021. Hedges has been instrumental in building the program out since then. She teaches the year-long “Civics in Action” course, where her students research and present on community issues that matter most to them.
As the course title suggests, Hedges’ students must also find a way to make a real impact. “They have to take action and do something that brings awareness to the issue,” she said. Student work has included raising funds for mental health and Special Olympics, collecting toiletries for formerly incarcerated individuals, and donating to emergency food programs.
The seal can be a powerful civic catalyst. “When the kids own their passion and it’s something that they’re invested in, it’s amazing what they can do,” said Hedges.
“A lot of times, I find, it’s that first step. … This can be a doorway, helping (students) see a world beyond themselves,” said social studies teacher Andrew Britto. Britto and fellow social studies teacher Renae Bray, both members of the Pine Bush TA, have supervised the civics seal program since it was implemented in the district. Since 2024, 180 Pine Bush students have graduated with the seal.
Britto and Bray said much of the infrastructure needed to make Pine Bush’s program so successful was already in place, so their jobs have focused on reorganizing existing components and tracking student progress.
“We already had electives that aligned with civics — entrepreneurship, public speaking, criminal justice — so we worked with the teachers to make sure their class projects aligned with seal requirements,” said Bray. “We’ve had huge buy-in from our colleagues. Not just social studies, but English, science and business.”
The district also boasts a long history of summer leadership and law programs and an active student volunteer population. “Civic engagement was already embedded in our culture,” said Britto, adding that students just needed to understand how they fit in. “The guiding principle is to produce solid American citizens ready to contribute positively to their communities.”
Civic readiness grant
The following locals received grants:
- Bay Shore Classroom Teachers Association
- Canton Central TA
- Cornwall Central TA
- Fulton TA
- Greece TA
- Ithaca TA
- Lynbrook TA
- Oceanside Federation of Teachers
- Patchogue Medford Congress of Teachers
- Smithtown TA
- Suffern Education Association
- Trumansburg TA
- Watertown EA
- Webster TA
- William Floyd United Teachers