Home / Magnet / Support Programs / Academically Gifted / Logical Minds

Logical Minds

2006 - 2007 Logical Minds Class
Participation in Government - Project Citizen

Last year Logical Minds, focused on Participation in American Government on the national, state and local levels. Students learned about the functions, branches, levels of government, and checks and balances. Then students simulated local government as participated and competed in the Project Citizen State Competition in May 2007. We entered seven entries into the state finals, and we placed second and third in the state, with two of our entries. I am very proud of all the students and their work.

Block three, first semester, won second place in the state competition. They were awarded with silver medals and certificates at the end of the year award ceremony. Joe Webb, the State Coordinator for Project Citizen, North Carolina, had visited our school to attend the ceremonies and view student work and presentations first hand. The project was titled, "Going against the Tide," and students were active in lobbing against the legislation that had lapsed in September 2006. Student letters, e-mails, and phone calls continued as we researched. Governor Easley had written to advise our coastline will remain oil rig free until at least 2010. Students had formed an alliance with the Sierra Club, which is a non-profit organization and they played an active role in our Legislative Hearing. The Legislative Hearing is a show case of student work prior to competition. Political officials attended the legislative hearings and assessed the showcase using rubrics to rate student work. Thank you to Senator Dole's office for sending a representative, and to Carol Parker who played a key role for our class covering the North Carolina State Lottery.

Second semester, block three, also placed in the state competition. They brought home the bronze. Students were awarded bronze medals and certificates at the end of the year ceremony for their work on school safety. This group advocated for a digital guest registration system for our school. This in conjunction with sweeps will make East Millbrook Middle a safer school. These students worked with the Identi-kid Program to have equipment donated to our school.

Congressman Miller visited our school, as well Representative Ross, they explained their roles in government, as well as listened to students' presentations of our showcased work. News 14 had covered the story. Vivian Jones the Mayor of Wake Forest had also attended a round table session, which was a dialogue between students and local government. She explained her favorite parts of the job and helped the students with ides on their projects. These students did all of the work and arranged all of our political guest speakers. It has been difficult to express our year in less than a page, especially since these are the students' accomplishments. All I did is believe in them, I knew they could do it. Thank you to the students for investing in themselves and all the political leaders who took the time to show this generation they are important and their voice can and will be heard.