What do iEngage campers do?
The camp utilizes an action civics model of inquiry to foster participants’ understanding of and engagement in civic life. Participants build important civic knowledge and skills as they interact with local civic leaders and elected officials, spend time learning about the legal process, play iCivics games, examine primary source materials, collaborate with like-minded peers, and engage in a community issues advocacy project. iEngage is designed to help students learn about the structure of government, what it means to be an active and engaged citizen in their community, and how they can work to make a change even as a young person.
Who leads the camp?
With support from Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC) and Indiana University’s Center on Representative Government (CoRG), the camp is directed by Dr. Stephanie Serriere (IUPUC) and Dr. Elizabeth Osborn (CoRG).
Local pre-service and in-service teachers serve as the counselors for each of the small groups.
In their small, grade-level group, youth select an issue in their community and carry out an inquiry project that culminates in a public presentation of their recommendations.
By spending a week immersed in learning civic principles and engaging in fun, age-appropriate civic activities students gain valuable civics content knowledge and apply this knowledge in a real-world setting. iEngage provides an opportunity for young people to explore how local, state, and national governments are responding to issues that all citizens face and how they, as young people, can get involved in creating change.
Meet the iEngage Camp team and speakers