About the Project

Level Up Core strives to build student leaders when they first transition to junior high. Students enrolled in the Civics Core classes will think critically about current issues and perform civic activities so that they feel personally responsible for making a difference in their communities. Seventh-grade students begin the year by observing the school culture and learning about local government. They will participate in an intense one-day leadership training to discover their own strengths and become empowered to lead. Throughout the year, 7th and 8th grade Core student leaders will host quarterly student meetings, where they will collaborate with other student leaders from different organizations on campus with the goal of creating a positive culture and climate. For this reason, a key component of the project will include a school-wide volunteer program that Core students will pilot, implement, and run. By participating and observing as volunteers and leaders, students have a better sense of community needs, which leads to civic engagement. At the end of the year, student leaders will collect the data from the volunteer program, create a presentation, and present it to the City of La Palma with the intent of working with the city to create a volunteer program for junior high students. Additionally, through the volunteering organization program, Core students will demonstrate different levels of citizenship, identify needs, and propose changes by developing service learning projects they will present in a Core Expo to the school, their parents, and the community.