more than 500 middle school students. bers. Because there is an incredible need Conclusion On this autumn morning, the school’s for a program such as this, I collaborated Our attitudes towards ethnicity and cul- gymnasium was transformed into a with textbook publisher, McDougal ture are formed in our youth. Elementary courtroom. The school band played “The Littell. I wrote a curriculum highlighting school students have a great proclivity Star Spangled Banner,” the choir sang the process and importance to develop a positive outlook towards “America the Beautiful,” and National of practicing good citizenship skills. The diversity when appropriately guided by Junior Honor Society members passed Path to Citizenship, a 42-page curriculum teachers and school administrators.5 As out miniature U.S. flags for the new citi- for grades 5-11, allows for short- or long- we aim to create an integrated and har- zens to proudly wave after being sworn term study and culminates in a student- monious society, we need to recognize in as American citizens. To date, twelve hosted naturalization ceremony.4 that these early years are a critical period naturalization ceremonies have been held for teaching tolerance and interrupting at Three Rivers Middle School thanks to Citizenship Counts the cycle of racism and discrimination. the vision of Marney Murphy. Hosting a community-wide naturaliza- What better way to teach civics to At this ceremony, my grandmother tion ceremony requires a great deal of students—both immigrant and native shared her personal story and congratu- planning and preparation. With the help born—than to engage them in hosting a lated the immigrants on receiving their of many community leaders, my grand- naturalization ceremony? An opportunity U.S. citizenship. She encouraged them mother and I created Citizenship Counts, such as this connects social studies lessons to become good citizens and give back a non-profit organization that provides with an uplifting, emotional, and lasting to their communities in appreciation for support and training to schools as they educational memory! all that they will inherit as citizens of the implement our program. of America. In October 2008, Citizenship Notes Counts launched its first pilot program. 1. From the conclusion of the 1988 report by the NCSS Task Force on Early Childhood/Elementary Social Growing the Concept One hundred middle school students Studies. Twenty-one years later, these concerns are, Soon after returning home from the from two schools in the Phoenix, if anything, magnified. 2. Rahima Wade, ed., Building Bridges: Connecting community-wide ceremony in , metropolitan area participated. They Classroom and Community through Service- my grandmother shared with family and completed the The Path to Citizenship Learning in Social Studies (Washington, DC: NCSS, friends what she had just witnessed. She curriculum, which culminated in a natu- 2000), 5. 3. Gerda Weissmann Klein, All But My Life (New York: wondered, “Could this sort of inspiring, ralization ceremony held at The Phoenix Hill and Wang, 1995). educational event be replicated in other Convention Center on March 23, 2009. 4. The Path to Citizenship: A Naturalization Project schools?” After countless discussions on At this most special event, students wel- for Your School (Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2009). this topic, I contacted Marney Murphy comed 50 adults from 26 different coun- 5. Catherine Lasso and Nelson Soto, “The Social to learn more about what is involved in tries who took “The Oath of Allegiance” Integration of Latino Newcomer Students in Midwestern Elementary Schools: Teacher and hosting such an event. I was impressed by and were sworn in by former Supreme Administrator Perceptions,” Essays in Education 14 the attention to detail required to create Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. (Department of Education, University of South this unique learning experience for the The ceremony was an emotional Carolina, Summer 2005), www.usca.edu/essays. students. The impact on the students was experience for all 400 people in atten- so significant that I decided to take action dance, including Citizenship Counts’ Alysa Ullman is executive director of Citi- so that students in other schools could board members Justice O’Connor; zenship Counts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, non- partisan organization dedicated to improving benefit from an experience such as this. Arizona Superintendent of Public civics education by actively engaging America’s My grandmother and I initiated Instruction Tom Horne; and my grand- youth and the greater community in the demo- discussions with various educational mother. Each addressed the audience cratic process. Learn more on the web at www. and business leaders about the need for a about the importance of understanding citizenshipcounts.org. program to teach students about the natu- the rights and responsibilities of American ralization process and the importance of citizenship, as well as the need for quality becoming responsible community mem- civics education.

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