ABOUT SUSAN B. WILSON

Susan B. Wilson, a founding member of the League of Women Voters South County, was a passionate proponent for education and civic engagement. In 1964, she helped organize the local chapter of the League and, when the state switched from paper ballots to mechanical voting machines, she made sure voters knew how to use the new technology. She held workshops for adults in the local schools and was tireless in her work and commitment to voter service and education. In naming these awards in honor of Susan B. Wilson, the League of Women Voters of South County acknowledges the importance of her work for the League and for the values of voter education and civic engagement, which she espoused.

Thinking about applying? Here is what you need to know:

https://form.jotform.com/wilsoncivicawards/susan-b-wilson-civic-awards-applica

The education of every child should include civics education. An educated electorate is the cornerstone of our democracy and educating students, some of whom are about to vote for the first time, about the importance of their responsibility as citizens and voters is crucial.

To encourage teachers engaged in this endeavor and to honor exceptional work in this area, the League of Women Voters South County (LWVSC) is sponsoring the Susan B. Wilson Civic Education Merit Awards with funding from the League of Women Voters Rhode Island Education Fund.

 CRITERIA

The intention of these awards is to honor an individual Rhode Island educator or a team of educators who are directly teaching students and whose teaching exhibits extraordinary ability and innovation, and fulfills one or more of the following criteria:

• Enriches students' understanding of their own civic rights and responsibilities;
• Encourages students' civic participation;
• Brings context and relevance to pivotal civic events--historic and/or current--affecting the United States on a national, regional, statewide, or local level;
• Promotes understanding and appreciation of individuals who play a role in aforementioned pivotal civic events.

WHO MAY APPLY

• Any individual educator or team of educators teaching in a Rhode Island school (K - 12th grade) is eligible to apply for the merit awards on his/her/the group's own behalf.
• Any RI resident or RI group/organization may apply for the merit awards on behalf of an educator or team of educators teaching in a Rhode Island school upon consent of that person or teaching team.
• Applicants do not need to be civics, history, or social studies teachers specifically

AWARDS PROCESS

Through a review of submitted on-line applications three individual Rhode Island teachers or team of teachers will be selected to receive a financial merit award. Award recipients will be ranked in the following manner:

• First Place: Grand Prize, $2,000
• Second Place: Jury Prize, $1,000
• Third Place: Honorable Mention, $500

Because this is a merit award in recognition for what a teacher has accomplished, the manner in which funds from this award are spent are left exclusively to the discretion of the recipients.

There will be three evaluators, one of whom may be a member of the LWVRI Board of Directors or its designee.

Award decisions will be announced in late-May.  The award ceremony will be held TBD at the RI State House

HOW TO APPLY

FORMAT

The online application form consists of two parts:

• Applicant/Nominee(s) Information
• Descriptive Narrative

APPLICANT/NOMINEE(S) INFORMATION

The online form submission should include the following information:

• Name of individual or group submitting the application;
• Name of merit award nominee(s), job title(s), home mailing address(es), e-mail(s) and phone number(s);
• Name, address and phone number of nominee(s)'s school;
• Name of the individual to be the primary contact (designated contact) along with e-mail address and phone number.

DESCRIPTIVE NARRATIVE CONTENT

To allow the greatest flexibility in presenting important details, applicants must submit a descriptive narrative of the work relevant to the aforementioned criteria. This work will be referred to as "the program." The narrative may be composed within the online form or downloaded as a completed word document.

Some useful information to include in the narrative is listed below. It is not necessary or expected to address every bullet point specifically. The purpose of this list is to help with the composition of the narrative so that the details will illustrate the relevance, distinctiveness and effectiveness of "the program."

• Description of the educator's career development and interest in civic education;
• Number and demographic description of students effected by "the program;"
• The goal or purpose of "the program;"
• How long has "the program" been implemented and describe how it has evolved and improved;
• Description of how "the program's" effectiveness is monitored within a school year and/or from year-to-year;
• What information is gathered from monitoring "the program" and describe how this information helps to improve "the program;"
• Statistical/anecdotal information illustrating highlights of the program and/or distinctive nature of "the program;"
• Public recognition of the value of "the program" in the school's community -- locally or wider in scope;
• What about "the program" is worth replicating in other schools and describe how viable such replication would be.

ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS

Open to all RI K-12 individual teachers or teams of teachers who are directly teaching students.

All RI educators and the individuals or groups who nominate them are encouraged to apply annually, although award recipients are not eligible to apply for the three (3) consecutive terms following receipt of their merit prize.

QUESTIONS ABOUT WILSON MERIT AWARDS

To contact The League of Women Voters South County about anything related to these awards, email wilsoncivicawards [at] gmail.com and include a phone number.

Eligibility disclaimer:
1. Family members of LWVRI Education Fund Board of Directors, LWVRI Operating Board of Directors or LWVSC dues paying members are not eligible to receive these awards.
2. Awarding of prizes will be at the discretion of the panel of judges, including that no prizes may be awarded.

2024 Winners

The League of Women Voters of South County is pleased to announce this year's recipients of the 17th annual Susan B. Wilson Civic Education Merit Awards.  Tara Seger of Scituate High School has earned the Grand Prize; Jacquelyn Keable, of Burrillville High School, has earned the Jury Prize; and a team of Educators from Highlander Charter School in Providence (Megan Sullivan, Dan Baldassi, Lindsay Robinson, Sharon Murphy, Courtney Brennan-Rand, Sue White and Holleigh Bergstrom (not pictured) has earned Honorable Mention. 

In recognition of their achievements, an awards ceremony was held at the RI State House in the Governor’s Ballroom on Thursday, April 25, 2024.  Recipients, their families and colleagues were present, as well as the award evaluators and officers and members of the League of Women Voters.  

The League inaugurated this award to honor teachers who have enriched their students' understanding of civic rights and responsibilities; have encouraged their students' civic participation; and have brought context and relevance to crucial events affecting the United States on a national, regional, statewide, or local level.

Link to ceremony:  https://youtu.be/3TzMh7vrz0s

Grand Prize: Tara Seger (Top left) of Scituate High School

Tara Seger has been a dedicated teacher at Scituate High School for 19 years. She is a veteran teacher of Modern World History, US History II Honors, and Middle East Conflicts, in Scituate, Rhode Island. Her research has included traveling to the United Arab Emirates with the World Affairs Council. 

Jury Prize:  Jacquelyn Keable (Top right) of Burrillville High School

Jacquelyn Keable has spent the last seven years as a social studies teacher at Burrillville High School. During her first year of teaching, she assisted in the creation of the Law and Public Safety Pathway; teaching civics through law in the elective course, Law and Society. For the past two years, she has taught AP US Government and Politics. 

Honorable Mention:  The Highlander Charter School Team of Providence - Megan Sullivan, Dan Baldassi, Lindsay Robinson, Sharon Murphy, Courtney Brennan-Rand, and Sue White (not pictured, Holleigh Bergstrom)

At Highlander Charter School, it is the goal of these educators to ensure their students have an understanding of social justice and their civic duties, that civics is much more than voting.  Civics is also about giving back to the community and uplifting the community around them. 

2023 Winners

The League of Women Voters of South County is pleased to announce this year's recipients of the 16th annual Susan B. Wilson Civic Education Merit Awards.  Heidi Lamb of The Grace School of Providence has earned the Grand Prize; Christopher Stanley, of Ponaganset High School of North Scituate, has earned the Jury Prize; and Serena Mason of North Kingstown High School of North Kingstown has earned Honorable Mention. 

In recognition of their achievements, an awards ceremony was held at the RI State House in the Governor’s Ballroom on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.  Recipients, their families, colleagues and students were present, as well as the award evaluators and officers and members of the League of Women Voters.  

The League inaugurated this award to honor teachers who have enriched their students' understanding of civic rights and responsibilities; have encouraged their students' civic participation; and have brought context and relevance to crucial events affecting the United States on a national, regional, statewide, or local level.

Heidi Lamb (L), Christopher Stanley (Top-R), Serena Mason (Bottom-R)

Grand Prize – Heidi Lamb, The Grace School, Providence

Ms. Lamb has contributed to an international and student-centered, multi-year approach that empowers students to be agents of change and betterment in their schools, communities, and on the state and national level. She prioritizes critical engagement with United States governance and incorporates justice and equity as meaningful components to civics. 

Jury Prize – Christopher Stanley, Ponaganset High School, North Scituate

Mr. Stanley moves the AP US History Program out of the classroom into the larger community where students experience history and civics firsthand. The current project “Where the Rivers Meet” stands as a multidisciplinary project between local organizations. Students worked hard to enhance the “place of public history at Ponaganset High School and surrounding communities.

Honorable Mention -  Serena Mason, North Kingstown High School, North Kingstown

Ms. Mason teaches a comprehensive and nuanced civics course that gives students the context and history they need to be informed and critical citizens. In addition to the coursework, students exercise their civic muscles by engaging with their community on democracy night. Ms. Mason’s multi-dimensional work in education is an important part of our state’s ecosystem of knowledge.

Watch the ceremony here: 2023 Susan B. Wilson Civics Award Ceremony

2022 Winners

The League of Women Voters of South County is pleased to announce this year's recipients of the 15th annual Susan B. Wilson Civic Education Merit Awards.  Hanna Resseger of SouthSide Elementary Charter School of Providence has earned the Grand Prize; Kate Ray of Cranston High School West, Cranston, has earned the Jury Prize; and Thalia Wood of Toll Gate High School, Warwick, has earned Honorable Mention. 

In recognition of their achievements, an awards ceremony was held at the RI State House in the Governor’s Ballroom on Thursday, June 9, 2022.  Recipients, their families, colleagues and students were present, as well as the award evaluators and officers and members of the League of Women Voters.  

During the welcome, Christine Martone, President, League of Women Voters South County, remarked “ The League believes that learning about the fundamentals of good government and the responsibility of each citizen begins in our schools.  For students of today to become tomorrow’s leaders, civics education is essential.  It is the most effective means to better understand and eventually take ownership of our democracy.”

Jennifer Wood, Esq., Executor Director at RI Center for Justice was the keynote speaker for this event.   In her remarks she noted: 

“It is an honor for me to be part of recognizing the extraordinary efforts of Rhode Island educators who inspire and encourage students in their civic engagement and civic learning.  For four years I have represented courageous Rhode Island students and their families who believe so deeply in the importance of civics that they have represented all public school students in litigation to fight for improvements to civics in the schools. Without educators like the Susan B. Wilson award winners we cannot achieve the improvements these students hope for.”

The League inaugurated this award to honor teachers who have enriched their students' understanding of civic rights and responsibilities; have encouraged their students' civic participation; and have brought context and relevance to crucial events affecting the United States on a national, regional, statewide, or local level.

Link to award ceremony recording: https://youtu.be/jSrIHxP21w0

Hannah Resseger (L), Kate Ray (Top R), Thalia Wood (Bottom R)

2021 Winners

The League of Women Voters of South County is pleased to announce 2021 recipients of the 14th annual Susan B. Wilson Civic Education Merit Awards.  Natalie O'Brien of North Smithfield High School, North Smithfield, has earned the Grand Prize; Alenoush Hagopian of Highlander Charter School, Providence, has earned the Jury Prize; and the team of Amy Goldblatt and Sara Craft of The Compass School, Kingston, has earned Honorable Mention.

In recognition of their achievements, an awards ceremony was held via Zoom on 6/10/21.  Recipients, their families and colleagues were present, as well as the award evaluators and officers and members of the League of Women Voters.  Angélica Infante-Green, Rhode Island Commissioner of Education, was the keynote speaker for this event.

 

GRAND PRIZE - Natalie O'Brien (top left)

Teaching social studies, specifically civics, and engaging students at the North Smithfield High School is Natalie O’Brien’s passion.  When she found out at the end of her first year of teaching that she would be teaching civics beginning the following year, she went to work to learn all she could to ensure her class was engaging and impactful.  Through the Center for Civic Education, Natalie attended sessions at Northeastern University as well as other sessions throughout the country over the years.  In 2002, she introduced the We the People program to the high school, engaging students directly in the philosophical and historical foundations of our government as well as developing an understanding of citizenship.  This program has brought North Smithfield High School students to Washington D.C. as state champions for the past decade.  She has canvassed with students in a presidential primary, heard students speak about their views at local meetings, and most recently, brought students to testify at the State House for the Civic Literacy Act.

JURY PRIZE - Alenoush Hagopian (top right)

Alenoush began at Highlander as an AmeriCorps team member working in classrooms and the afterschool program to bridge in and out of school learning. She then took a teaching position at Highlander where her passion for educational equity, social justice, and civics education was shared in the 4th grade classroom. But, her efforts do not end there.  She and her students have been taking on a leadership role in addressing issues of racism and equity in the school and greater community. 

This nominee’s activities have created a safe space for important community conversations that result in civic action.  Students have been able to make deep connections within the community by exploring recent and past history and determining what resources are available to them to help them grow into engaged community members.  They learned how to research about other organizations doing good in the community, how we can support each other in building a welcoming and safe community for all, and how they can use their skills in core subjects in a real-life project for deeper learning.  The Highlander community came together to support the students in their efforts and learn from one another.  Highlander has student leaders working together towards a more just community.   

HONORABLE MENTION - Amy Goldblatt (bottom left) and Sara Craft (bottom right)

Amy Goldblatt in her first year of teaching, and Sara Craft, who has four years experience, introduced a program to their 3rd/4th grade classrooms called The Discoverers.  Students engage in activities around a main idea and theme, vocabulary, character description, comparing and contrasting, comprehension, and summarizing. This unit also engages students in social studies standards through the domains of history and civics & government. 

This unit provided students with the opportunity to use a primary source from the civil rights movement for literary analysis and learning about history by focusing on Ruby Bridges' memoir, Through My Eyes, which tells the story of Ruby Bridges as she integrated the New Orleans public school system in the 1960s. The Discoverer team selected this text because it is an inspirational story about a pivotal event in history. 

Their students were so impacted by Ruby Bridges’ story that they requested funding to support a ‘virtual visit’ with Ms. Ruby Bridges.  Following their meeting, the students spoke at a council meeting.  Some excerpts from their speech include: “It was an incredible experience to ask someone who made history our questions. Before learning about Ruby Bridges we never thought about our opportunity to attend an integrated school. Now, we recognize the importance of integrated schools and that kids have not always been able to experience school like we do now. After learning about Ruby Bridges, we feel that it is important for Compass students to learn more about history. We should be learning about injustice and descrimination. We should also learn about historical figures who created change. It is important for students to realize that this history is recent and many people who experienced it are still alive.”