HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- First Lady Judge Marjorie O. Rendell today celebrated Constitution Day by teaching civics lessons at Dunbar Elementary School in Philadelphia, and leading a video conference on the "Rule of Law" in classrooms across Pennsylvania.  

"The Constitution is the absolute foundation of American society and government, therefore Constitution Day should be celebrated every day," said Judge Rendell. "I commend Pennsylvania's schools for participating in today's celebration of our Constitution and for preparing our students to become active participants in their communities, society and government."

The following schools participated in Judge Rendell's virtual classroom:

• Beverly Hills Middle School, Upper Darby, Delaware County
• Hempfield School District, Landisville, Lancaster County
• Skyview Elementary, Eagleville, Montgomery County
• South Brandywine Middle School, Coatesville, Chester County
• Wallenpaupack Area Middle School, Hawley, Wayne County
• Western Wayne Middle School, Lake Ariel, Wayne County

On Sept. 17, 1787, the U.S. Constitution was signed in Philadelphia by 39 brave men who changed the course of history. It was created to replace the Articles of Confederation, which had served as a framework for the U.S. government in the nation's early stages of development.

Constitution Day is a time for citizens to continue their legacy and develop habits of citizenship in a new generation of Americans.

In her role as Pennsylvania's First Lady, Judge Rendell has dedicated the past seven years to celebrating the U.S. Constitution by promoting civics education, inside and outside of the classroom. The idea first occurred to her while presiding over a naturalization ceremony when she saw the joyful faces of new American citizens and realized that they know how special citizenship is, and that there is a real need for civics education among K-12 students.

There is a huge gap between what people need to know to be productive citizens and engage effectively in the democratic process. On the last national civics assessment, administered in 2006, two-thirds of students scored below proficient and less than one-fifth of high school seniors could explain how citizen participation benefits democracy.

"Closing the civics knowledge-gap requires recognition of the role that public schools, as the single institution affecting more Americans than any other, must play in training young people for active citizenship," said Judge Rendell. "That is why I've devoted my time and energy to working with schools to provide critical civics education to students across Pennsylvania."

The PA Coalition for Representative Democracy, or PennCORD, is the outgrowth of Judge Rendell's realization of the need for civics education. PennCORD is a coalition of educational, advocacy and governmental organizations committed to improving civic learning for students in grades K-12. Key partners include the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the National Constitution Center, Pennsylvania Department of Education, and the Governor's Office of the First Lady.

The goal is for every Pennsylvania school to prepare its students to understand and participate in their communities, society and government. Building a solid foundation of civic learning for every student is the first critical step toward achieving that goal.

For more information on PennCORD, visit www.penncord.org . For more information on Constitution Day events, visit www.constitutioncenter.org.

Media contact: Mia DeVane, 717-783-1116

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the First Lady

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http://www.penncord.org/