Parkside Public Policy Program
The Chávez Public Policy Program lies at the heart of the school and is its most distinctive feature. Students in all grades participate in programs designed to build their research, writing, analytical thinking, and public speaking skills. These programs expose students to the field of public policy and to Washington-based policy organizations, acquaint them with specific public policy issues, and help them to develop the advocacy skills needed to affect change in their communities.
Participating in the Chavez Public Policy Program—Capitol Hill
To work with Chavez students as a host organization for Fellowship, a policy expert for Capstone, Community Action Project, or Senior Thesis Presentations, or to otherwise contribute to our students’ experiences and education in public policy, please contact Ms. Megan Reamer, Public Policy Director—Parkside, at (202) 398.2230 ext. 22 or megan.reamer@chavezschools.org.
Middle School Curriculum
Students are first introduced to policy issues through community service, field trips, current events, and classroom units that engage students in the world outside of themselves. Students participate in a two-week, interdisciplinary “Capstone unit” at the end of each semester. The purpose of the Capstone is to examine a common theme from different academic perspectives.
High School Curriculum
Foundations in History Course
The Foundations in History course introduces students to key policy terms and concepts and devotes time to discussing what public policy is, the process of making public policy, and how citizens can work for social change. Students study policy issues such as education policy and labor movements (offered in 9th grade).
Public Policy Capstone Project
During the last three weeks of the academic year, students, faculty and policy experts work collaboratively on an intense, full-time interdisciplinary project focused on public policy as it affects the local community. This year-end project is designed to bring together the key public policy terms, concepts and processes students have learned in various courses during the year (offered in 9th grade).
Public Policy Course—Empowerment & Citizenship
The Public Policy course serves to build important foundations for future policy activities and encourages a sense of empowerment, leadership, efficacy and commitment to social change. Students examine federal and local government institutions and the lawmaking process, along with the relative influence of elected officials, government agencies, interest groups, and private citizens (offered in 9th and 10th grade).
Community Action Project
The tenth grade public policy curriculum culminates with a full-time, three week “Community Action Project” at the end of the year. The Community Action Project is an opportunity for students to work as a team with the assistance of faculty members and policy experts to analyze and make recommendations on a local policy issue (offered in 10th grade).
Public Policy Fellowships
Juniors complete a full-time, three-week academic fellowship in a public policy organization. Students gain important professional skills including resume writing, interviewing, adapting to the expectations of the workplace, accepting supervision, priority setting, and time management. Students must also write an essay and make a presentation to outside public policy professionals describing their work at their host organization. Fellowship sites include: Department of Homeland Security, Congressional Black Caucus, CARACEN, Congressman Dennis Cardoza’s Office, Alliance for Justice, The American Lung Association, The Heritage Foundation, among others (offered in 11th grade).
Senior Public Policy Thesis and Presentation
The senior year is dedicated to writing a public policy research paper and further developing important public policy leadership skills. Students enroll in a yearlong thesis writing class. At the conclusion of the school year, students present their research to a panel of public policy professionals. In 2004, topics for the research papers, which are typically 15-20 pages, included: college access for immigrants, drug legalization, child labor laws, gun violence in the United States, stem cell research, and the strain on US military recruitment (offered in 12th grade).