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Date:         Fri, 23 Feb 2001 12:31:06 -0600
Reply-To:     Forum on the Constitution 
Sender:       Forum on the Constitution 
From:         Cindy Koeppel 
Subject:      Civic Education Grants Announcement
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For Release:

CONTACT:
Frank H. Mackaman
The Dirksen Congressional Center
301 South 4th Street, Suite A
Pekin, IL 61554
309.347.7113
309.347.6432 FAX
fmackaman@pekin.net
www.pekin.net/dirksen

Robert H. Michel Civic Education Grants Announcement

The Dirksen Congressional Center invites applications for grants totaling
$50,000 in 2000-2001 to help teachers, curriculum developers, and others
improve the quality of civics instruction, with priority on the role of
Congress in our federal government. Areas of interest include designing
lesson plans, creating student activities, and applying instructional
technology in the classroom.

Teachers (4th through 12th grades), community and junior college faculty,
and college and university faculty are eligible as are teacher-led student
teams and individuals who develop curriculum. Priority will be given to the
following disciplines: history, government, social studies, political
science, and education.

Institutions and organizations are not eligible. Inter-institutional
consortia and other groups of individual may apply, but grant funds may not
be used to defray indirect costs or overhead expenses. The funds are
intended solely to produce "deliverables" of use to classroom teachers.
Preliminary proposals may be submitted at any time. Awards will be made
three times per year in October, January, and May. To be considered, all
application materials must be received by the first of the month in which
selections are made. Complete information about eligibility and application
procedures may be found at The Center's Web site --
(http://www.pekin.net/dirksen/grantmichelciviced.htm). Frank Mackaman is the
program officer (fmackaman@pekin.net).

The Center, named for the late Senate Minority Leader Everett M. Dirksen, is
a private, non-partisan, nonprofit research and educational organization
devoted to the study of Congress and its leaders. The Center created the
Michel Civic Education Grants to fund practical classroom strategies to
improve the quality of teaching and learning about civics, with a particular
emphasis on the role of Congress in the federal government. The goal of
education in civics, we believe, is informed, responsible participation in
political life by competent citizens. Current levels of political knowledge,
political engagement, and political enthusiasm leave much to be desired.
Part of the solution rests in better instructional practices.