Citizenship education committee meets to plan for 2020

Teachers and lawyers from across Missouri met Feb. 21 in Jefferson City to discuss plans for 2020 citizenship education activities carried out by The Missouri Bar. Citizenship Education director Dr. Anthony Simones also shared 2019 accomplishments with the 20 volunteers who serve on the state bar’s Advisory Committee on Citizenship Education (ACCE). The committee’s members also include the Boone County clerk, the director of the Columbia Library and the education coordinator for the St. Louis Federal Court. 

“The ideas generated by this group were simply amazing,” said Simones. “They have provided me with a blueprint for an even better program that reaches more people and has an even greater impact.” 

Simones said the committee plans to build on the program’s accomplishments from the previous year, which included five regional trainings for Missouri teachers, the Summer Institute for Teachers, the Street Law Workshop for Teachers, the Show Me the Constitution competition for high school students, and day-long sessions between judicial professionals and members of the Girl Scouts and 4-H.  

In addition to continuing activities from 2019, the ACCE recommended the following goals for expanding the bar’s civics education reach this year: 

• Increased presentations to school administrators on opportunities for teacher training 

• Greater use of video for teachers who cannot attend live sessions 

• More programming for adult audiences as well as middle school teachers and students 

• Making greater strides to secure involvement of urban schools and minority students 

The Missouri Bar's Citizenship Education program is aimed at providing ongoing civics education to all Missourians.