High School Students & Citizen Engagement
NextGen Redistricting ignites civic engagement in high school students through theatrical performance and a dialogue with experts. Students learn about decennial redistricting and attend a live performance of Many Maps, One Voice – a one woman show dramatizing the battle to redistrict WA in 1965. Students will ask the actor and local experts about controversies over gerrymandering and redistricting reform. Finally, students discuss how to advocate for change.
NextGen Redistricting has 4 project parts to insure we meet our goals.
Part 1 – “Redistricting by The Numbers” classroom module (50 min)
Students will explore the steps of the decennial redistricting and debate the different methods used in different states. Content will include the census and redistricting processes, the Washington State Redistricting Commission, gerrymandering, and recent Supreme Court redistricting challenge cases. POTP will gather a team of educators and redistricting experts to create and review the recommended readings, teachers’ guides, and student exercises. We hope this program will be a pilot for an ongoing module on redistricting across Washington State.
Part 2 – See the Play
Students will then attend a live theater performance of Many Maps, One Voice, a one-woman show dramatizing the battle to redistrict Washington State in the 1960s led by Representative Mary Ellen McCaffree. The play was adapted from Mary Ellen’s book Politics of the Possible. Veteran stage actress Jane Fellows plays Mary Ellen. In this 2-hour performance students will join Mary Ellen McCaffree in her deep dive into the legislative lion’s den of redistricting. As she is thrust center stage in the fight for one person – one vote, students will recognize political parallels to today – dysfunction, obstruction, and partisan ploys. In the end, they will be inspired by leaders firmly focused on equal representation, civil discourse and doing what is right for the citizens of the state. Transportation will be provided if unavailable by the schools.
Part 3 – Post Play Talkback (30 minutes)
After seeing the full-length dramatization, students will talk with the actor, redistricting experts and local elected officials about controversies over gerrymandering and redistricting reform. Questions could range from the challenges of acting a very dramatic part, to how it works in today’s legislatures and commissions. The variety of roles people can play from elected official, commissioner, activist, and story performer will show the students that they have many options for involvement and can match their skill and desires when choosing a role.
Part 4 – “Taking Action” Classroom module (50 minutes)
As the final step in this redistricting education program, students will apply what they have learned by creating an action plan. They will discuss how equal representation affects their ability to make change on other issues such as fighting climate change, ending poverty or advocating for the arts. Students will brainstorm a list of ways to be involved in the redistricting process and choose which one they would like to do. Again, our team of educators and civic experts will advise on the best classroom exercises and discussion questions.
Project Goals
Beginning with the 2020-21 school year, all Washington high schools must provide a mandatory one-half credit stand-alone course in civics. NextGen Redistricting will pilot some of the content for subjects required by law including government procedures; rights and responsibilities of citizens; current issues and electoral issues. Redistricting is fundamental to voting and requires all residents to interact with the government. In addition, current developments in partisan extremism, the speed of communications and advances in computer technology have made abuse of redistricting an important and timely issue.
In the 2018 law, the legislature found that professional development opportunities for teachers in civics education are rare and that in many districts, due to limited budgets and competing demands for funding, opportunities for teachers to deepen instructional and curricular practices in civics do not exist. This project is a small step to provide a fun, accessible, and comprehensive module on redistricting that teachers probably would not have access to any other way. We hope that after successful completion in Olympia we will be able to roll out the module throughout Washington.
There are four main goals for NextGen Redistricting. The first three goals focus on the high school participants and the fourth goal is directed towards the teachers.
Participating high school students will…
Goal 1: Understand the redistricting process and their personal role in that process
• Through fun exercises and videos Next Gen Redistricting will teach the steps of the census, apportionment and drawing district boundaries. While redistricting may seem like something that the federal government implements, there are many ways in which it touches everyone at the state and local level. Participating in the census, testifying about district needs, and by voting when eligible are examples of ways individuals can participate in the full redistricting process.
Goal 2: Increase participants local government engagement
• We hope to make engagement in local government exciting and seem doable for young adults. Through the dramatization, discussions and brainstorming opportunities, we hope to spark civic engagement. Student will realize they can be an active participant even before they are eligible to vote. Among the many things young people can do are, influence adults and older peers on issues, get to know their representatives, testify, protest, support a candidate, or register people to vote.
Goal 3: Understand that learning can be fun and entertaining and how the arts play a key role in education
• By experiencing a professional theater performance, students will see that learning about civics and government can be interesting, fun, and entertaining. Alternative forms of information can be a great way to engage students who may not be attracted to traditional teaching methods.
Our fourth goal is for the teachers.
Teachers will…
Goal 4: Deepen their own understanding of redistricting and experience creative ways to teach civics
• Through teacher handbooks, access to experts, links to additional resources, and by viewing the play themselves, teachers will be able to explore the extent of their own understanding of the subject and be inspired to learn more. They will be presented with classroom exercises, a play synopsis and teachers’ guides to see how live theater can be used to teach civics.
To know if NextGen Redistricting has achieved our four goals, we will implement a variety of feedback mechanisms including the evaluations described in each section in detail. We will do a pre- and post event student evaluation, listen to questions at the post-show talkback session, collect teacher self-assessment and feedback both the week and month after the project. Through these means and the total number of students, teachers and administrators involved, we will be able to determine the success of the project.
For More information or to bring NextGen Redistricting to your school, please contact Alison McCaffree 253-720-6813, alison.mccaffree@stanfordalumni.org.