June 12, 2010
Habitat Cabarrus Youth United Students Advocating for Change
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Mount Pleasant High School civics students and Habitat staff members traveled to Raleigh to meet with legislators in conjunction with the Habitat for Humanity Service-Learning Partnership Grant, made possible by State Farm.
Beginning in fall of 2009, Habitat Cabarrus received grant funding from State Farm and Habitat International for a partnership with Mount Pleasant High School teacher Julie Love’s Civics classes entitled Advocacy in Action. The program, a year-long curriculum supplement with standard North Carolina Civics curriculum, focused on engaging students as active citizens in their communities as advocates for affordable housing needs in Cabarrus County and North Carolina. Students learned how they could be a participant in making positive change in their own community through advocacy.
“Today’s high school students are tomorrow's future leaders and the responsibility belongs to each of us to educate them on the importance of being involved in civic activities” said Civics Teacher, Julie Love.
When asked about her experience with this program, Sami Wallace, a MPHS senior stated that “This experience has made a serious impact on my plans for the future. I have been planning to study architecture when I go to college this fall and because of my experience with Habitat, I have realized the importance of affordable housing in community development. I intend to take what I have learned about affordable housing and incorporate it not only in my educational endeavors, but in my professional ventures as well.”
Habitat Cabarrus is grateful to everyone who participated and supported this year's Advocacy in Action program.
If you are interested in learning more about advocacy and how you can becoming involved with Habitat Cabarrus' advocacy effort please contact the affiliate's Executive Director, Dean Johnson.
