Civic Learning Award: Los Angeles Leadership Academy

Civic Learning Description

At Los Angeles Leadership Academy the school focus is social justice and leadership.  Students explore historical events related to activism and select local or national issues to create plans of impact. Students are able to replicate historical activism methods and apply them to current issues. Students acquire skills to lead and impact their communities through different mediums like the student-run paper, The Voice.

Research-Based Civic Education Practices

This school demonstrates the following research-based best practices in civic education:

• Provide instruction in government, history, law and democracy, and avoid teaching only rote facts about dry procedures.
• Discuss current local, national and international issues and events in the classroom, particularly those that young people view as important to their lives.
• Conduct community service that is linked to the formal curriculum and classroom (Service-learning).
• Encourage student participation in school governance.
• Encourage students’ participation in simulations of democratic process and procedures such as voting, trials, legislative deliberation, and diplomacy.

 For more information on research-based best practices, visit the Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools website

Contact Information

Ms. Cynthia Cuprill
ccprill@laleadership.org