Liliana, a student at Bethlehem Central High School, demonstrated exceptional civic initiative when she successfully advocated for safety changes at a busy local crosswalk, prompting a New York State Department of Transportation review and an updated traffic signal pattern to improve pedestrian crossing time. She has continued her civic engagement through leadership in her school’s Amnesty International Club, participation in the Summer Institute of Politics at Salve Regina University, and ongoing public policy studies.

Learn more about Liliana's project here.

The following submission is from Lake Shore High School, part of the Lake Shore Central Schools, a suburban district located south of Buffalo, NY. This is a capstone project undertaken in a semester elective, Civics in Action. 

Students in this class identify an issue that they are concerned about, conduct research about possible policy solutions, and then decide on their own solution and action plan involving some form of government action. In this project, students were concerned about food waste and the environmental impact it has. They wrote a grant request to the New York Association for Reduction, Reuse and Recycling to buy compost to recycle school cafeteria food waste. The compost will then be used to help cultivate our community garden (a project from the previous Civics in Action class). They were awarded a grant of $836, and are excited to get composting this spring.

Link to student created web site: Food Waste in Schools (link is external)

Cairo-Durham High School students are leading four initiatives that demonstrate meaningful civic engagement and alignment with the New York State Civic Readiness Framework. These projects include expanding a Mustang Hygiene Closet to support student well-being, promoting inclusion and cultural awareness through the Bridges of Inclusion group, extending a Backpack Program to address food insecurity at the middle school level, and creating a community book box to increase access to literacy. Across all projects, students applied civic knowledge by identifying community needs, engaged in civic action through partnerships with local organizations, businesses, and government officials, and gained authentic civic experiences through grant writing, event planning, and leadership roles. Collectively, these efforts reflect strong civic mindsets rooted in empathy, equity, inclusion, service, and a commitment to improving both their school and the broader community. 

Learn more about these great projects here

This project was created by two seniors at Yonkers Montessori Academy, a public school in Yonkers serving students from Pre-K through 12th grade. This team of students created a podcast to examine alternatives to foster care for young people. Drawing on research, they noted that while abuse accounts for some placements, the majority (60–65%) are attributed to neglect, which they argue is often rooted in poverty rather than a lack of parental care. Through specific examples, such as a child being removed simply for not having a bed, they questioned whether targeted support could prevent unnecessary removals. The students highlighted CarePortal, founded by Adrian Lewis, as a prevention-focused solution. The platform connects child welfare professionals with local community members to meet verified needs like beds, utilities, or food helping families stay safely together. By connecting research, real-world examples, and public policy, these students demonstrated thoughtful civic engagement and a commitment to strengthening families through community-based solutions. 

In “Silence in the Labs: Give Animals a Voice,” Ava argues that cosmetic animal testing causes significant harm to animals while also producing unreliable results for human safety. Her research examines the impact on both animals and consumers, noting that animals cannot communicate their suffering and often respond differently than humans. She explains that companies continue these practices to avoid human testing and reduce costs, despite evidence that animal testing remains widespread globally. Ava concludes by advocating for ethical and effective alternatives, such as lab-grown human skin and cruelty-free methods, and encourages informed consumer action through awareness and support of cruelty-free products. 

Guilderland Central School District, a suburban district in New York’s Capital Region serving approximately 4,800 students, integrates the New York State Seal of Civic Readiness through its Teacher Corps program at Guilderland High School. This selective, yearlong junior/senior elective prepares students with foundational teaching skills in the first semester and provides hands-on experience in the second semester as they deliver lessons in elementary schools on topics such as bullying prevention, diversity, and digital citizenship. As a core component of the program, students complete a civic action capstone in which they research a community issue, develop a feasible solution, and present a formal proposal to a review committee, with top projects advancing to a public presentation at a Board of Education meeting. This process empowers students to apply civic knowledge in authentic contexts and actively contribute to community improvement. 

• The NYS Education Department (NYSED) invites schools, districts, and BOCES to submit student work tied to the New York State Seal of Civic Readiness.  The Seal recognizes student civic knowledge and engagement and currently serves 712 schools and 97,473 students statewide.  Selected submissions will be featured on the NYSED website.  

• Visit Spotlight: Civic Learning Week 2026 for more information. 

• Email submissions to P12standardsinstruction@nysed.gov with the subject line “Spotlight: Civic Learning Week” by the deadline of February 20, 2026.  

• Questions may be directed to the Office of Standards and Instruction at P12StandardsInstruction@nysed.gov.