“Project Life Experiences About Democracy (Project LEAD)”
The focus of Project LEAD is to provide students with opportunities to participate in and understand the workings of government and democracy. Student leaders partner and collaborate with district and community leaders to engage in civic learning. Students participate in a city council meeting, a mock city council meeting, a Project LEAD conference, and a Judges in the Classroom experience. Students then apply what they learned by designing and implementing projects and programs that serve their school, community, and the world. The Nelson Elementary Student Council chose to serve their school by starting a Big Buddy Program, which involves partnering with students with special needs to build social skills and a sense of belonging. Based on school needs, student leaders also decided to start an after school Reading Wonderland program to help lower grade students learn to read. To serve the community, council members chose to have a clothing drive for local families in need, and to raise money for the American Heart Association as heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. In considering global needs, student leaders decided to raise funds for earthquake relief in Afghanistan, and implement a school-wide recycling program of plastic bottles and old tennis shoes to help save our earth.
