CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
THE IMPORTANCE OF
CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT
Open and informed dialogue is a critical component of the civic engagement initiative at Harpeth Hall. BY BONNIE MOSES • UPPER SCHOOL SOCIAL SCIENCE TEACHER
Each
spring, the annual voter registration drive at Harpeth Hall is a day of excitement and anticipation for Upper School students. During the 2019 drive, 102 enthusiastic new voters were registered on campus. Visitors to the third floor of the Wallace Wing will see an entire wall devoted to “I registered” and “I voted” photos that bear witness to the passion Harpeth Hall students have for civic engagement. To build on this enthusiasm and provide greater civic leadership opportunities for our students, the Faculty Committee on Civic Engagement (CCE) was created in the spring of 2019. In addition to encouraging active citizenship, the CCE initiative emphasizes the importance of information literacy, civic dialogue, and civic education. Recognizing that this effort transcends individual disciplines and requires the commitment of the entire Harpeth Hall community, the idea for the Harpeth Hall Center for Civic Engagement was born. Much of the foundational work related to the Center began with the work of the Civic Engagement Committee this past summer. In July, Upper School teachers Joe Croker, Tony Springman, and Bonnie Moses continued on page 32
SPRING 2020
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