Participants become more motivated to be involved and feel more responsibility for public life
Participants feel more effective, empowered, and optimistic about their ability to influence events.
Participants learn political skills through exerience by running meetings, acting as an effective group, and learning how to affect decision makers and solve problems.
Participants better understand ideas like democracy, citizenship, power, democracy, diversity and interest.
From August to May University Students meet as a class with their professor to discuss readings on democracy and publical activism, and to help each other serve as Public Achievement choaces. The class enrolls thirty students, mostly social studies majors.
In Septemeber, 7th and 8th grade students hold assembileis in which student suggest issues or problems they think should be adddressed by Public Achievement teams. Students are formed into temas giving them their first or second choice issue.
Beginning in October, Public Achievment teams meet every Thursday afternoon. About 180 of the 600 students at the school choose to be in P.A. instead of study hall. Team meetings are about 40 miniutes long. One university student serves as a coach for each team.
Students in Public Achievement begin by discussing and refocusing their issue. Research and INterviewing is a must. They do team building activities and learn basics of small group democracy. They write agendas, practice roles, keep minutes, evaluate, debate and vote. Most teams write a mission statement and plann actions or projects.
After developing a mission statement and action plan teams aoften meet to discuss their ideas with adults in postiions of authority. this can be frustrationg but gives real world experience in the process of putting ideas into practice.
Not all Public Achievement teams accomplish their goal or compelte a major project. Everyone takes actions to learn and influence others. Many temasn do sponsor assemblies, fundraising events, publish brochures, websites or take direct action to improve the community.
