Lighting of the MV Museum on Aug 26, 2024 in honor of Women’s Equality Day
(photo credit: Deborah Medders)
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NEW! MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WITH MVRHS STUDENTS
LWVMV Newsletter – June, 2024
Civics class at MVRHS
Since 2018, the Massachusetts State Education Department has been on a civics education mission. The state enacted Chapter 296, “An Act to promote and enhance civic engagement.”
The implementation of the Act became the mandate of the Student-Led Civics Projects.
Ken Armstead became a member of the Youth Service Committee of the League of Women Voters of the Cape Cod area and we became involved as we learned the various ways in which Leagues throughout the state were collaborating in the schools.
Kristi Strahler, Ken, and Joan Kass began our League’s involvement with MVRHS by meeting with Ena Thulin, the Chair of the Social Studies Department and then with Olsen Houghton, the Social Studies faculty member, who was teaching the Civics and Current Issues class, where the students would be working on their civics projects. Ken and Joan were warmly welcomed by Mr. Houghton, learned about following the Civics Project Guidebook for his curriculum, and learned about some of the project ideas the students were considering. Carole Early, and Kris Vrooman joined with Ken and Joan, and in various combinations we visited the class three times, during the early stages of the projects to talk with the students, provide some materials, and suggest some resources, next time to listen to formal presentations about the students’ work, and lastly to listen as they shared their reflections. It was a rewarding, uplifting, and inspiring experience. We look forward to meeting another group next year. We encourage other League members to join with us to learn about and appreciate the enthusiasm, concerns, and commitment of our young people as they become informed and engaged citizens.
Here is the list of the student Civic Action Plans, sent to the League us by the teacher, Olsen Houghton. Readers might appreciate the breadth of the students’ interests and commitment to making a difference!
Voter registration at MVRHS, Music and Art with Seniors
Yoga as a Phys Ed option
School Supplies for Underprivileged Children
Making Bikinis with Recycled Materials
Helping Hands for Havenside: Hauling, Technology, Companionship, etc.
Improving the Tisbury Boat Landing at Lagoon Pond: Bilingual Signage, Litter Patrol, Possibly an Attendant
Sports Equipment for Women and Grant Writing
Volunteering and Expanding the Fair Trade Non-Profits on the Island
Expanding Teacher Appreciation
Helping New Mothers with Supplies
Reusable Dry Erase Markers (Cutting back on Waste at MVRHS)
Below, photos of some students sharing their projects with League members who visited the classroom in early June
The above photos were taken in Mr. Houghton’s class with the permission of each student in order to be added to the League’s website. (photos : Kris Vrooman)
The students worked on a variety of projects including concerns about plastic trash from dry erase markers in math class, ways to assist senior citizens at Hillside to clean out items that might need to go to the MVRD for free, sew bathing suits made from fabric that is made of commercial fishing nets found in the ocean, find ways for students to socially interact with senior citizens, and and encouraging 18 year old high school students to register to vote.
LWV MV CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PROJECT
LWV-MV CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WITH MVRHS STUDENTS
LWV-MV PARTICIPATION IN DEVELOPMENT OF CIVICS PROJECTS AT MV HIGH SCHOOL
LWV-MV 2023 ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
COALITION TO CREATE THE MV HOUSING BANK
INDIGENOUS LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
CANDIDATE FORUMS
The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan political organization that promotes active and informed citizen participation in government, in voting, and in influencing public policy through education and advocacy. We never support candidates for any office at any level of government. We do support issues. For videos of 2023 Spring Island Candidate Forums in Chilmark, Edgartown, Oak Bluffs and Tisbury please CLICK HERE
LWV MV CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PROJECT
Local government needs you! Your skills and new ideas are needed. Your voice is important. There are many opportunities to become involved in local government. Some positions are elected but the majority are appointed.
Serving as a public official can be a rewarding and satisfying experience. The League of Women Voters of Martha’s Vineyard, in conjunction with MVTV, sponsored a series of interviews with elected officials from various towns on Martha’s Vineyard to inform citizens about the process of running for local positions. The three town officials shared their personal accounts of service in our towns. These brief interviews are now available for streaming on channel 13 by MVTV (link is below).
The public is invited to tune in and learn about the procedures involved in seeking office and the realities of life in town government. Perhaps you would like to run for office! The League is a non-partisan political organization that promotes active and informed citizen participation in government, in voting, and in influencing public policy through education and advocacy. If you are considering running for office, check out recent interviews with several local elected officials who discuss running for office. They were interviewed by Judy Crawford from LWV-MV. You may view the videos here on MVTV
Take the leap! Join a committee or run for office in your town.
LWV MV CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WITH MVRHS STUDENTS
Every year the LWV-MV provides voter information at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School and registers eligible seniors. Covid had prevented this activity for the past two years. In 2023 packets with voting information were distributed to High School seniors. The information in the packets includes how to register to vote, a voter registration form, what you need to know about voting, absentee ballot information, and as well as Island specific information.
LWV MV PARTICIPATION IN DEVELOPMENT OF CIVICS PROJECTS AT MV HIGH SCHOOL
The League of Women Voters of MA (LWV-MA) advocated for a law to promote and enhance civic engagement. This law, which passed, creates the school requirement that students from Grade 8 through Grade 12 participate in two student-led civics projects as part of their curriculum experience. The LWV-MA leadership recognized that we could continue to celebrate student civic engagement in a more meaningful way by partnering with and supporting schools in their implementation of these required projects.
In the fall of 2020, the LWV-MA Civic Education Committee was formed to develop an implementation proposal. LWV-MV is an active participant on the Committee. The value of this approach is to increase the likelihood of implementation if teachers, administrators and students know that the community is enthusiastic about the importance of these projects and that we want to hear and amplify the civic voices of youth. For further information: https://lwvma.org/toolkits-for-members/school-civics-celebration-project-toolkit/
LWV-MV 2023 ANNUAL HONORARY LEIGH B. SMITH SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
The LWV-MV remains dedicated to every citizen’s right to participate in the democratic process and the power held by that citizen to make well informed voting decisions and choices; and, supports opportunities to foster the same in our young people. To that end, the League awards a scholarship each year to a graduating senior high school student who lives on the Vineyard or to a first year, full-time Vineyard college student, and who is pursuing a higher education degree in an area supporting the League’s mission: environment science, political science or women studies. The student would have attended high school at:
Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS)
Martha’s Vineyard Charter School (MVCS)
A certified home school program
Other public or private accredited school
On Friday evening June 8, 2023 during the MVRHS Awards Night at the Tabernacle, the League of Women Voters of Martha’s Vineyard presented the Honorary Leigh B. Smith Scholarship to graduating senior Jacob Riis. Mr. Riis was chosen as the recipient of the $3,000 scholarship after reading his submitted essay about the relationship between climate change and social inequity. Mr. Riis will attend college with a focus on Environmental Science.
COALITION TO CREATE THE MV HOUSING BANK
The MV League of Voters is in strong support of the creation of a Martha’s Vineyard Housing Bank (CCMVHB).
Proposed legislation went to the Massachusetts State Legislature for approval. For additional information and to learn where things stand, please go to https://www.ccmvhb.org/ and https://vineyardgazette.com/tags/housing-bank
INDIGENOUS LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The LWV-MV has adopted the following statement in acknowledgement of Indigenous people including the Wampanoag people and nation. This statement is read at the beginning of every LWV-MV Board meeting:
PAGE UPDATED 6/25/2024