As the Democracy Project thrives and evolves, DCCE introduced a new program to provide Delaware teachers with additional content and strategies to sharpen their civic awareness and classroom instruction. The Civics that Empowers All Students Program (CEAS) kicked off its first year at UD this August. Funded by the Center for Civics Education, CEAS teacher fellows built their civic knowledge, learning from constitutional scholars and engaging in a simulated congressional hearing process.

Since its launch in 1999, teachers from across the state have participated in the Democracy Project summer institute to enrich their teaching methods. CEAS now offers an additional avenue to strengthen civic education knowledge for long-time teachers and those newer to the field. Elizabeth Pruneda is a seventh-grade teacher at Fred Fifer III Middle School and a first-time CEAS participant.  

“The CEAS program sets a foundation for newer teachers to go into their career ready and confident that they can reach all students,” said Pruneda.

Both summer programs serve as catalysts for classroom instruction, ensuring students statewide acquire essential skills to thrive as informed citizens in today's society. They establish a broader perspective that prepares students for present-day and future challenges, enabling them to engage civically with one another.

According to Jake Austin, a seventh-grade social studies teacher at Millsboro Middle School in Indian River School District and one of the facilitators for this year’s CEAS Program, the most significant difference between the two programs is “The emphasis on We the People. While the Democracy Project doesn’t focus on that historical context, it gives teachers more supplemental information to go in tandem with the model lessons. It helps provide foundational knowledge while serving as a bridge between the model lessons.”  

“The Democracy Project also presents many guest speakers, along with current political figures, but with CEAS, you hear from fellow academics, which help you break the history of civics into seventh-grade lessons,” said Austin.

An Inside Look 

“The biggest difference between the two programs is that the Democracy Project focuses on different themes, with a focus on curriculum. There is a different theme that varies yearly,” said Lisa Nothstein, a seventh-grade teacher at Milford Central Academy.

Fitting with this year's theme, the 2024 Democracy Project cohort traveled to Washington, D.C. on the second day of the institute, where they attended a presentation and participated in a discussion led by Paul Kane, senior congressional correspondent, and columnist from The Washington Post. Other sessions included “Exploring Election Misinformation,” led by Pete Adams, senior vice president of Research and Design at the News Literacy Project. Toward the end of the day, U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del) and U.S. Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del) also led sessions engaging teachers in a discussion about elections.

This year’s Democracy Project presenters included Delaware state leaders and candidates for office, such as Secretary Bullock, who helped kick off the institute on Monday. 

"I am proud that for the 25th year, the Delaware Department of State and the Institute for Public Administration have partnered to offer the Democracy Project Summer Institute for teachers. Over those years, hundreds of Delaware teachers have been able to sharpen their classroom skills to better teach about Democracy in our state's classrooms,” said Delaware Secretary Jeffrey Bullock. 

For the last few decades, the Biden School and DCCE have trained nearly 500 teachers in partnership with the State of Delaware and the U.S. Department of Education. The Democracy Project continues to explore more ways to equip teachers with the techniques to inspire the next generation of informed, engaged citizens.

Delaware candidates for office from all three counties presented and participated in Q&A sessions with educators, answering questions to help prepare them as citizens and teachers for the upcoming school year. Summer institute participants also heard from Governor John Carney, Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, Delaware House Minority Leader District 21, Michael Ramone, and Delaware State Representative for House District 22, Michael Smith. 

O’Malley and Abbott guided educators through standards-aligned civics lessons as the week progressed.  

“The Democracy Project Summer Institute is the premier civic education experience for K-12 educators in Delaware. The Democracy Project is valuable because it empowers educators with the tools and knowledge to foster civic engagement and democratic classroom principles. By participating, teachers are equipped to inspire the next generation of citizens to participate in and sustain a healthy democracy actively, essential for the well-being of our society,” said Mike Feldman, Social Studies Education Associate at the Delaware Department of Education.

Civics that Empowers All Students

In August, eighteen Delaware educators gathered at the UD STAR Campus for the first session of Civics that Empowers All Students (CEAS). In a classroom-style session, participants were provided with an engaging icebreaker each day, providing teachers with fun and interactive ways to encourage students to participate in daily lessons. 

The CEAS program, funded by a U.S. Department of Education grant awarded to the National Center for Civic Education, offers a fantastic opportunity for upper-elementary and middle school teachers across all 50 states and DC. As part of the expansive We the People network of over 100,000 educators, the CEAS program focuses on implementing the simulated congressional hearing, where students apply their deep knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and citizenship through public testimony and Q&A sessions. DCCE has won a sub-award of the more significant CEAS grant to support teachers in Delaware with this program. Through the CEAS initiative, Delaware educators will access comprehensive professional development and resources to enhance civic education instruction.

Each session was led and organized by multiple facilitators, including CEAS project director Scott Abbott; Jake Austin, CEAS mentor; Lester Brooks, CEAS scholar and emeritus professor at Anne Arundel Community College; Francene Engel, CEAS scholar and consultant for the Maryland Council for Civic & History Education; Staci Garber, CEAS mentor and teacher at Kirk Middle School. Other program facilitators included Heather Mann, CEAS mentor and teacher in Capital School District; Fran O’Malley, CEAS project coordinator; and Chanell Rogers, CEAS mentor and teacher at Mount Pleasant Elementary School.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the organization of all the resources and how well it correlated with our Delaware standards. Being a third-year teacher, it can be very overwhelming and even anxiety-inducing to try and plan all your lessons in a way that the students will understand but also be engaged in,” said Pruneda. 

Delaware CEAS participants who all teach grades 4, 7 and 8 receive a complimentary class set of We the People textbooks, ongoing support, and a stipend. The program provides 52 hours of professional development, enabling collaboration with peers and civics scholars while covering costs for participants to attend the 2025 Middle States Social Studies Conference.  

“The CEAS Summer Institute provided high quality and relevant professional learning for teachers. They brought in excellent speakers who left the teachers excited and wanting more. It was valuable because of the connections that were made to the Delaware Model Lessons that the teachers are currently using, and with guidance and support, helped the teachers with how to blend the two programs. The teachers in the Colonial School District who attended left excited and motivated to teach,” said Kelly Shusko, social studies instructional coach for the Colonial School District.

Within the CEAS program, teachers commit to attending the summer institute, implementing the program, participating in school-year professional learning and conducting pre- and post-tests for themselves and their students. This initiative enhances teachers' civic knowledge and empowers students to become active, informed citizens, making it a valuable investment in civic education.  

“Participants representing Colonial School District left the workshop energized about using the We the People resources. Teachers felt their time was valuable throughout the weeklong, summer institute and left with great ideas that they are excited to showcase in their classroom. Well done,” said Dr. Nick Baker, supervisor of curriculum, assessment and instruction for the Colonial School District. 

Building Knowledge for Delaware Educators

According to this year’s participants, CEAS and the Democracy Project are excellent sources of information and resources for enhancing classroom instruction, directly impacting students. 

“While the Democracy Project puts you more in touch with current issues and events, you get similar value from both programs. However, you receive more tangible resources from CEAS, such as a class set of textbooks. For me, it is worth doing this program to receive the books for students. In that way, CEAS directly impacts our students,” said Jake Austin. 

Educators and administrators alike have continuously expressed their admiration for both programs. 

“The Democracy Project brings together K-12 educators from across the state to learn from experts in the field and from our local elected officials. There are no other opportunities where educators can learn and speak to an array of elected officials. In addition, important and timely topics are discussed that help curriculum specialists and teachers that support the teaching and learning about local, state, and national elections. For example, while in Washington, D.C., we explored election misinformation and gained an understanding of national campaigns. The Democracy Project is something I look forward to each summer,” said Holly Golder, who is supervisor of social studies for the Red Clay Consolidated School District.

DCCE provides civic educators with model lessons, strategies and highly interactive ideas to excite students about learning. As a first-time participant, Elizabeth Pruneda shared her original expectations and thoughts after completing the CEAS program.

“What I expected was to learn content-based lessons that helped get my class towards a greater understanding and the goal of having a simulated semi-congressional hearing that they felt confident about. This program far exceeded my expectations by providing lectures from scholars who specialize in our content area, along with the CEAS representatives helping us through the lessons that they would like us to teach. This program provided invaluable resources I will carry with me throughout my teaching career. The CEAS program will further impact my teaching style and the way I present content to my students because it gives me a firm foundation of our content while making it a graspable concept for my students,” said Pruneda.

Lisa Nothstein explained the value both programs have provided her since she started at the Democracy Project many years ago and is now a participant in the CEAS program. 

“The Democracy Project enhanced my civic knowledge and taught me how to make different connections with other educators in Delaware. It’s very local, and you’re often able to collaborate with people who are teaching exactly what you are teaching. I appreciate the CEAS program’s connections, providing a deeper dive into a more DE-centric curriculum and user-friendly books.”

DCCE will continue collaborating with DDOE and the Social Studies Coalition of Delaware to develop the model lesson initiative. This ongoing partnership aims to improve the alignment of civic education instruction and learning with educational standards while introducing students to more relevant instructional materials. 

Delaware teachers interested in learning more about professional development opportunities available through the Delaware Center for Civics Education can visit the website.

About the Institute for Public Administration

The University of Delaware's Institute for Public Administration (IPA) addresses the policy, planning, and management needs of its partners through the integration of applied research, professional development and the education of tomorrow’s leaders. As a research and public service center in the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration, IPA collaborates with state agencies, municipal governments, nonprofits, communities and businesses to examine complex policy issues and improve quality of life in Delaware and beyond.

About the Democracy Project

For the last twenty-six years, UD’s Institute for Public Administration (IPA) at the Biden School has equipped educators with the skills necessary to cultivate civic competence in classrooms statewide through its Democracy Project Summer Institute for Teachers hosted by the Delaware Center for Civics Education (DCCE). In partnership with the State of Delaware and the U.S. Department of Education, the Biden School’s DCCE equips educators with the tools and techniques to inspire the next generation of informed, engaged citizens.

About the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration 

Established in 1961 and named in 2018 for the University of Delaware’s most distinguished alumnus, the 46th President of the United States, the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration prepares students with the knowledge and skills necessary to engage in research and public service to improve the quality of life in communities around the world. Biden School faculty, staff, students, and alumni create and use interdisciplinary, nonpartisan research and empirically based analysis to inform effective decision-making and policy and to improve leadership and administration. The Biden School partners with organizations from all sectors to discover innovative and equitable solutions to the critical challenges of our time.