First Lady Rendell Announces Civics Education Program for Harrisburg Students

HARRISBURG, Pa. (Map) - HARRISBURG, Pa., Dec. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Through an initiative led by First Lady Judge Marjorie O. Rendell, local judges and lawyers will lead monthly civics classes for eighth-graders in the Harrisburg School District beginning next week and continuing through June.

"The Civics Education Alliance will provide an invaluable opportunity for students to learn about the American justice system from the people who work in our courts every day and know the practice of law firsthand," said Judge Rendell. "We want to empower the students to take action in their own communities and inspire them to follow their dreams."

Teams of four to six volunteer lawyers and judges will lead one-hour lessons designed to engage students in critical thinking about concepts of justice, civil rights and responsible citizenship, along with tutorials on the lawmaking and judicial processes.

"These sessions are intended to supplement and enrich the learning that is already taking place in the classroom," said Judge Rendell. "However, I am sure the benefits will flow in both directions. An officer of the court needs to live in the world and learn from it in order to be an effective advocate for justice."

The Civics Education Alliance also involves the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Governor's Office of General Counsel. For more information, contact Nicole Bordonaro, assistant counsel for the Department of Education, at (717) 787-5500 or Steve Turner, chief counsel for the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, at (717) 265-8517.

The Rendell administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter, visit www.governor.state.pa.us.

CONTACT: Kirstin Alvanitakis 717-783-1116