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Civically Engaged Work Across the Grades

Students thrive when given the tools, space, and support to explore the issues that matter to them. Their passion, insight, and drive spark meaningful change in their communities. Explore the power of student-led inquiry!

View student projects below. Watch recorded presentations on our YouTube channel,

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High School

Hunterdon Central Regional High School

Presented in Spanish, this project is an initiative by students to promote inclusive and engaging sports activities within their school community. Through interviews, surveys, and analysis, they discovered that while intramural sports already existed at their school, student participation was limited. As a result, they shifted their focus to improving awareness and accessibility by suggesting more varied activities, inclusive rules, and eye-catching promotional efforts. Their ultimate goal is to foster a positive, united, and active school environment.
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Middle School

Thomas E. Harrington Middle School

Students in Harrington Middle School are advocating for the implementation of a structured study hall to give students time during the school day to complete assignments, reduce stress, and improve academic performance. Citing multiple sources, surveys, and interviews, it emphasizes the benefits of study halls, including improved homework completion, better time management, and reduced anxiety—especially for students with busy after-school schedules. The action plan includes surveying students, proposing the idea to school leadership and the Board of Education, creating awareness posters, and running a trial implementation.
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Middle School

Cedarbrook K-8 Center

This project investigates middle school students' experiences with bullying, aiming to understand its root causes and propose effective solutions. With the goal of creating a safer school environment, the student group conducted surveys that revealed bullying is common, often occurs in bathrooms, and many students are reluctant to report it. The findings suggest that factors like peer behavior, school atmosphere, and social media contribute to the issue. As part of their action plan, the group proposes increasing security in identified high-risk areas—particularly bathrooms—to deter bullying and protect students.
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Middle School

Thomas E. Harrington Middle School

This project addresses the issue of excessive food waste in school cafeterias, particularly focusing on unopened and uneaten food being discarded instead of repurposed or donated. Supported by research, surveys, and interviews with staff and students, they propose a shift to an "Offer vs. Serve" model, which allows students to choose their meals to reduce unnecessary waste. They outline a policy plan that includes educating the student body, communicating with school leadership and the Board of Education, and ensuring ongoing compliance.
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Middle School

Cedarbrook K-8 Center

Motivated by students’ personal experiences—both positive and negative—the project aims to amplify student voices and foster a more supportive, understanding school environment. Survey results highlight the emotional impact teachers can have, and students identified traits like empathy, encouragement, and clear communication as hallmarks of great teachers. The group’s action plan includes presenting findings to staff, implementing short teacher-student check-ins, and using a social inventory survey to build stronger connections.
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Middle School

Thomas E. Harrington Middle School

This project addresses gender bias in sports and its impact on women athletes. The group explored disparities in pay, visibility, and opportunities, collecting survey responses that highlighted unequal treatment in both school and professional sports. They proposed an amendment to school policy that would introduce educational presentations during orientations and P.E. classes to raise awareness. Through presentations and posters, their goal is to inspire others to challenge long-standing discrimination and promote equality in sports and beyond.
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