emPowerU Welcoming First-Time Participant
Bedford, Iowa, Community Schools will kick-off emPowerU’s Civic Engagement Immersions on Friday, Oct. 21.
Bedford Middle School will travel to emPowerU for the first time in history to participate in Circuit One of the Civic Engagement Immersion program. Students and educators will be the first to experience the impact of emPowerU programming this academic year.
Director of Program Operations, Devran Brower, said he is excited to welcome a new school district to emPowerU.
“Our Civic Engagement Immersions are our most popular emPowerU program as it teaches students the importance of civic responsibility,” Brower said. “It is great to offer this learning experience for students.”
In 2020, the Foundation’s Board of Trustees approved funding to make the Civic Engagement Immersion program free of charge through 2025 for school districts within their 31-county service region.
The Civic Engagement Immersions include three unique sessions that build upon each other. During Circuit One, students will research and present on community challenges including community involvement, cyberbullying, digital footprint, energy drinks, food deserts, vaping and new topics disconnect to connect and fact or fiction.
The Foundation invites community members to become a volunteer and serve on the Circuit One Council. As a council member, volunteers will listen to student presentations and have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback to student groups. Volunteers are asked to be on-site for one hour, 12:20 – 1:20 p.m.
Following Circuit One, emPowerU will transform into a new region of diverse communities for Circuit Two. Students become citizens of these communities and have the task of discovering their biggest need and ways to improve the region. Circuit Three gives students the option to do a community service project where they examine their own community and come to consensus on an issue they would like to address.
For more information on emPowerU programming opportunities, please contact Devran Brower at 816.271.7910 or devran.brower@mlcfoundation.com.