View the application here! (Acrobat Reader required)

The Capitol Forum on America’s Future is a year-long program in civic education that offers a unique opportunity for high school social studies teachers and their students. The centerpiece of the program, the Capitol Forum, will take place in the spring of 2001 when students and teachers in five states will gather at their State Capitols to thoughtfully deliberate on the role of the United States in world affairs.

Using interactive simulations and other materials developed by the Choices for the 21st Century Education Project based at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International Studies, participants will explore a range of viewpoints on U.S. foreign policy and consider related issues including the global economy, the environment, immigration, and the U.S. role in conflict. Public officials will be present to listen to their views, answer questions, and discuss issues of policy with participants.

The program culminates in a balloting process that will involve students who attended the Capitol Forum as well as classmates at participating schools. The results of these ballots will be developed into a report that will be shared with elected public officials, the news media, and high schools in participating states.

Certification renewal credit is available for all participating teachers.

To enroll, print out and complete the online application (Acrobat Reader required) and send to:

Dr. Jim Clark, Director
Humanities Extension/Publications
North Carolina State University, NCSU Box 8101
Raleigh, NC 27695-8101
OR
FAX: (919) 515-8806

Fall Workshop: A professional development work-shop introduces participating teachers to methods and materials for engaging students in rigorous classroom debate on current and historical international issues. Led by a local teacher who has extensive experience with and training in the Choices methodology, the Fall Workshop will include:

• an overview of the Capitol Forum program
• an introduction to and demonstration of a Choices curriculum unit
• discussion of key concepts in international relations

Winter Workshop: Teachers will discuss their class-room experiences using the teaching approaches and resources presented at the Fall Workshop. In addition, several resource people will lead sessions on the four global issues (environment, immigration, trade, and the U.S. role in conflict) that are the focus of the first half of the Capitol Forum. Teachers will also discuss a one- to two-day lesson they will be expected to complete in the weeks prior to the Forum. This lesson will introduce students to a Four Futures framework that focuses on potential directions for U.S. foreign policy. This framework will be the focus of the second half of the Capitol Forum, the post-Forum lesson plan and the Student Ballot on Americas Future. Forum preparation also includes:

• Creation of a class poster illustrating students concerns and priorities in international relations.
• Selection and preparation of four student representatives for the Spring Forum

• Breakout sessions to address the four global issues
• Breakouts to discuss the Four Futures Debate on the Four Futures
• Conversation with public officials and policy makers

The ballot report will also be shared with state officials, the news media, and all high schools in participating states, giving a public voice to the students vision for Americas future.

What Students Say About the Capitol Forum

"This was an awesome experience. There were so many students with different thoughts and views."

"It allowed me to see how to look at situations, make a decision on what I think and be ready to defend my decision."

"The forum has made me more aware of the process of constructing foreign policy. I will be less cavalier in my attitudes toward voting."

"Im much more likely to stay involved because I feel as if I have a voice."

North Carolina Forum Calendar

• Aug. 15, 2000
  Review of applications begins.
• Aug. 30, 2000
  Deadline for applications. Twenty high school social studies teachers will be selected.
• October 6, 2000 FALL WORKSHOP
  Full-day introductory workshop for participating teachers, Capitol, Raleigh.
  
• February 2, 2001 WINTER WORKSHOP
  Full-day planning workshop for participating teachers, Capitol, Raleigh.
  
• Mar. 23, 2001 CAPITOL FORUM
  Full-day event for participating teacher and four student representatives, Capitol, Raleigh.
  
• Apr. 15, 2001
  Deadline for return of Student Ballots.

Choices for the 21st Century, a program of the Watson Institute of International Studies at Brown University, is a multifaceted educational program that seeks to engage the American public-student and adult-in consideration of international issues and strengthen the quality of public life in the United States.

The Choices approach to classroom learning places special emphasis on the importance of educat-ing students in their participatory role as citizens. Today teachers in more than 4,500 schools nationwide are using Choices curricular materials in their class-rooms with approximately 700,000 students annually. Choices public programs engage general audiences in deliberation on our changing international role and the implications for domestic policy, and increase public participation in the democratic process. For more information, visit the Choices web site.