Nine Illinois High Schools Recognized As Democracy Schools

CHICAGO, Sept. 17, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Illinois Civic Mission Coalition (ICMC) has recognized nine exceptional Illinois high schools as Democracy Schools, for providing students with authentic experiences in the rights, responsibilities and tensions of a constitutional democracy. Through these experiences, participating schools equip students with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for informed and effective engagement in our democracy.

Since 2006, 31 Illinois high schools have successfully completed a school-wide civic assessment and have been subsequently recognized as Democracy Schools. The nine Illinois high schools that have earned this distinction in 2014 include:

• Alcott College Prep, Chicago
• Belleville East, Belleville
• Belleville West, Belleville
• East Leyden, Franklin Park
• West Leyden, Northlake
• Grayslake Central, Grayslake
• Grayslake North, Grayslake
• Shawnee, Wolf Lake
• West Aurora, West Aurora

Illinois Democracy Schools embrace the mission to provide high-quality civic learning opportunities for all students. Their leadership emphasizes civic learning through development of professional faculty and staff capacity, and proven civic learning practices are woven throughout the formal curriculum. Democracy Schools foster a school climate that nurtures and models civic dispositions and builds reciprocal relationships within the surrounding community.

The new Democracy Schools will receive funding from the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, which convenes the ICMC, to invest in high quality civic learning initiatives.  

"Our network of Democracy Schools increasingly reflects the state's geographic and population diversity," said Shawn Healy, chair of the Illinois Civic Mission Coalition and civic learning and engagement scholar at the McCormick Foundation, a leading funder of civic learning initiatives. "All Illinois students must graduate high school prepared for college, career, and civic life, and our 2014 Democracy Schools stand as pillars in strengthening the state's civic health."

Democracy Schools provide numerous opportunities for students to participate in the democratic process through a range of classes and clubs. From class discussion on current issues and democratic simulations to extracurricular and service learning opportunities, students are able to experience first-hand the critical role they can play in shaping their government and society.

About the Robert R. McCormick Foundation
The Robert R. McCormick Foundation is committed to fostering communities of educated, informed and engaged citizens. Through philanthropic programs, Cantigny Park and museums, the Foundation helps develop citizen leaders and works to make life better in our communities. The Foundation was established as a charitable trust in 1955, upon the death of Colonel Robert R. McCormick, the longtime editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune. The Robert R. McCormick Foundation is one of the nation's largest foundations, with more than $1.5 billion in assets.  For more information, please visit www.McCormickFoundation.org, follow us on Twitter, and "Like" us on Facebook.  

About the Illinois Civic Mission Coalition
The Illinois Civic Mission Coalition is a broad non-partisan consortium including educators, administrators, students, universities, funders, elected officials, policymakers and representatives from the private and non-profit sectors. Formed in 2004 by the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago, the ICMC is part of the Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools, a national initiative to restore a core purpose of education to prepare America's youngest citizens to be informed and active participants in our democracy. The Robert R. McCormick Foundation has convened the ICMC since 2010. To learn more visit www.McCormickFoundation.org/DemocracySchools.

SOURCE Robert R. McCormick Foundation