Foxcroft History Teacher Invited to Participate in National Civic Engagement Pilot Program
History teacher Erika Page has been invited by CloseUp, creators of the Empowering Female Voices program that she and Foxcroft students have been participating in since last fall, to join a small group of educators from across the country to pilot A Starting Point (ASP), a new civic engagement platform.
“We met for the first time on Thursday, February 4,” explains Page. “Chris Evans and his co-founder Mark Kassen spoke to about ten of us (teachers). They shared why they created ASP and how excited they are to move toward sharing their work with schools. The amazing crew at CloseUp gave us an introduction to the website and the brand new lesson plans created for this partnership.”
She continues, “I taught three ASP lessons before spring break. We focused on healthcare — specifically, "solutions to the opioid epidemic" — using both ASP and CloseUp resources. The students really enjoyed the lessons, and they look forward to "meeting" Chris Evans via Zoom during a final event on Tuesday, March 16.”
A Starting Point is described on its website as “a video-based civic engagement platform created by Chris Evans, Mark Kassen, and technology entrepreneur Joe Kiani. ASP’s mission is to create a bipartisan channel of communication and connectivity between Americans and their elected officials with the goal of creating a more informed electorate.”
CloseUp and ASP aim to:
- Enhance resources available to schools during this unprecedented time of virtual learning;
- Help educate the next generation of Americans on the most pressing issues of our time;
- Bring lawmakers inside the classroom to deepen students’ understanding of U.S. government and politics;
- Inspire active and informed participation in our democracy;
- Create cross-cultural and interactive learning opportunities between different schools, communities, and states on issues surrounding government and politics.
Congratulations Ms. Page on being chosen for this exciting opportunity. We can’t wait to hear more from you and the students!
This website uses cookies to ensure the best experience for visitors to our website.
By continuing to use this website, you consent to our use of these cookies.
See our Privacy Policy for additional information.
By continuing to use this website, you consent to our use of these cookies.
See our Privacy Policy for additional information.
An all-girls boarding and day school in Northern Virginia, Foxcroft prepares young women in grades 9-12 for success in college and in life. Our outstanding academic program offers challenging courses, including Advanced Placement classes and an innovative STEM program. Our premiere equestrian program is nationally recognized, and our athletic teams have won conference and state championships. Experience the best in girls' boarding schools: visit Foxcroft.
