Participants: The Program
As you enjoy your stay in the U.S. and explore its culture and politics, you will learn more about the opportunities and challenges of civil society and gain insight and knowledge that will equip you for your future role as a leader and activist in your local community.
WHERE WILL YOU BE?
Salem, OR USA
The program takes place in the state of Oregon which is located on the west coast of the United States. Oregon has a population of close to 4 million people. You can research more interesting facts about the state of Oregon here.
You will be staying in Salem, which is the capital of Oregon and the state’s second largest city with a population of 152,290. Salem is situated on the 45th geographic parallel in the center of the Willamette Valley—one of the most fertile and agriculturally productive regions in the world. Salem serves as the hub of both state government and the surrounding farming communities. State government is the largest employer, with approximately 15,903 state employees and offices for 68 state agencies located in Salem. Salem is also one of the largest food-processing centers in the United States. The close proximity of government provides Salem citizens with a distinct opportunity to be involved in the decision-making processes of the state. The citizens of Salem also have a long history of commitment to community improvement, earning national recognition through the presentation of two All-America City Awards.
WHAT WILL YOU DO?
Through engagement in community service projects, local high school class visits, and the three-week Civic Education and Leadership Institute at Willamette University, you will gain a better understanding of civic participation and the rights and responsibilities of citizens in a democracy.
Many different activities and workshops have been planned, but it certainly won’t be all work and no play. You will have considerable free time to explore on your own or just chill out. However, everyone is expected to participate in all of the planned activities. There will be structured workshops and dialogues around a certain topic as well as several small group intensive projects, but also exciting trips to various museums, local tourist sites and even the United States capital, Washington, DC!
Here is a sample of what’s been planned for your visit to Oregon (see the map above):
• Tour of Willamette University (download map)
• Hallie Ford Art Museum
• Guided Tour of the Oregon State Capitol Building
• Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum
An aviation museum which displays a number of military and civilian aircraft and spacecraft, most notably, the Hughes H-4 Hercules “Spruce Goose”.
• Portland Art Museum
• Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
A Fun interactive museum with innovative science exhibits, planetarium, laser light show, omnimax dome theater and interactive activities and displays. We will also visit the Da Vinci: The Genius exhibit, which originated in Italy and is the most complete and comprehensive traveling exhibition on da Vinci ever created. More than 10 years in the making, the exhibit has been seen in Paris, Rome, Moscow, Melbourne, San Paulo, San Francisco and other major cities around the world.
• Oregon Historical Society
• Local High Schools
Students will spend two full days visiting local high schools and participating in classes. Students will also attend High School athletic events and drama presentations
• Traveling throughout the city of Salem to perform various community service projects
Visit to Washington, D.C.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
A museum that is both a memorial to the past and a reminder of our obligations to each other in today’s world. Here you can explore Holocaust history, remember the victims, and learn ways to confront hatred and to help prevent genocide.
The Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian has 14 different museums and galleries in D.C. Most are located on edges of The Mall and can easily be visited on foot. These include the National Air and Space Museum, the Museum of Natural History, the Museum of African Art, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the American History Museum, the Castle, and the Hirschhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.
The Washington Monument
This monument, a 555-foot marble obelisk that is surrounded by 50 American Flags, has an elevator that takes visitors to the Observation Room 500 feet above ground level.
Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool
In line with the Capitol and Washington Monument, this stately marble structure is built with 36 columns, each symbolizing a state in existence at the time of President Lincoln’s death. Two of Lincoln’s most famous speeches, the Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Address, are carved on the north and south walls of the structure.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Located near the Lincoln Memorial, this monument honors the men and women who served in the Armed Forces in Vietnam. The polished black granite walls are inscribed with the names of the dead and missing. The over 265,000 women who served during the Vietnam War are honored by a statue depicting three service women coming to the aid of a wounded soldier.
Thomas Jefferson Memorial and Tidal Basin
The central memorial room contains a 19-foot bronze statue of Jefferson and is surrounded by panels inscribed with his most significant writings. Fifty-four Ionic columns support the circular dome.
National Gallery of Art
Consists of two buildings, one classical, and the other contemporary in design. The gallery contains one of the finest collections of western European paintings and sculpture spanning the 13th century to the present. American art from Colonial to contemporary times are also on display. Highlights include works by Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Anthony van Dyck, Alexander Calder, Henri Matisse, Joan Miro, Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Claude Monet, Clyfford Still, and Andy Warhol.
• Daughters of the American Revolution Museum
Consists of 33 period rooms displaying furniture, glass, paintings, ceramics and silver made or used in early American life.
What Are the Goals of the Youth Leadership Program?
Provide participants with opportunities to:
• Investigate the rights, roles and responsibilities of an individual in civil society
• Interact with other students, teachers and staff in the program
• Explore American culture and politics
• Cooperate with your peers in order to solve problems and build leadership skills
CIVIC EDUCATION AND LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
The Civic Education and Leadership Institute at Willamette University will consist of three 4-day sessions. Session I, Exploring Democracy and Civic Engagement, will lay the foundation for the rest of the institute. Session II, Case Studies in Democratic Engagement, will focus on four specific examples that illustrate the challenges faced by democratic societies. Session III, Debate in a Democratic Society, will train students to debate using a simple two-team format. Students will learn to create arguments for and against different debate resolutions related to issues from Sessions I and II.
Three Willamette University professors will serve as lead instructors for the institute:
Dr. Robert Trapp
Professor, Rhetoric and Media Studies Department
Director, Willamette Debate Union
Executive Director, International Debate Education Association (IDEA), Inc.
Dr. Nathaniel Cordova
Associate Professor and Chair, Rhetoric and Media Studies Department
Dr. David Gutterman
Assistant Professor, Politics Department
Sessions will be highly interactive. Each day of the institute includes time for small group activities, discussion, and review with the professors, participating teachers, and program staff.
Session I: Exploring Democracy and Civic Engagement
Professors Cordova and Gutterman
During each day of Sessions I and II, Professors Cordova and Gutterman will spend the first hour introducing the concepts. Students will work in small groups for the second hour. The third hour will consist of media and performance, and the fourth hour will be for assessment, analysis, and discussion. As part of the sessions, students will read short essays and watch films and film clips.
Day 1: Friday, April 10th
Foundations of Democracy
Professor Gutterman
Professor Gutterman will kick off the institute with lecture and discussion about the foundations of democratic government. On Day 1, students will learn about the founding principles of the United States government: freedom, equality, pluralism, and the rule of law.
Day 2: Saturday, April 11th
The Limits of Democracy
Professor Cordova
On Day 2 of the institute, Professor Cordova will address the impurity/impossibility of democracy and the related question of civic virtue. Is a true democracy possible? What is civic virtue?
Day 3: Monday, April 13th
Civil Religion and the Challenge of Pluralism
Professor Gutterman
Professor Gutterman will explore the role of religion and civil religion in American politics. How can democracies honor a commitment to pluralism?
Day 4: Tuesday, April 14th
Political Dissent and Civil Disobedience
Professor Cordova
The hallmark of a functioning democracy is the freedom to disagree. What happens when citizens in a democratic society express their disagreement with government policies?
Session Two: Case Studies in Democratic Engagement
Professors Cordova and Gutterman
In Session Two, Professors Gutterman and Cordova will introduce four specific case studies about democratic engagement. The four cases will encourage students to explore a common set of questions about the methods, strategies, responses, challenges, and promises of democratic citizenship. Each case study will focus on youth participation and activism.
Day 1: Thursday, April 16th
Case Study #1: California’s Proposition 8
Professor Cordova
In November of 2008, the citizens of the State of California approved ballot proposition 8. Proposition 8 proposed changing the California state constitution to restrict the definition of marriage to opposite-sex couples only, eliminating same-sex couples’ right to marry. Professor Cordova will present citizen responses to the election’s outcome.
Day 2: Friday, April 17th
Case Study #2: The Freedom Riders
Professor Gutterman
In this case study, students will learn about the Freedom Riders, a group of civil rights activists in the 1960s who challenged “whites only” rules in the American South. These black and white Americans rode together on public transportation to challenge local laws or customs that enforced segregation.
Day 3: Monday, April 20th
Professor Gutterman
Case Study #3: The Labor Movement and Economic Justice
Professor Gutterman will examine labor activism in in the United States and explore contemporary concerns about economic justice in the current era of recession.
Day 4: Tuesday, April 21st
Professor Cordova
Case Study #4: Environmental Activism
Session III: Debate in a Democratic Society
Professor Robert Trapp
In Session III, students will explore the questions raised in Sessions I and II using the medium of debate. Why is debate important in an open, democratic society. Then, they will debate in teams. In academic debate, students must be prepared to argue either side of the issue, not just the side they agree with. Professor Robert Trapp will teach debate fundamentals; students will practice by debating issues raised in Sessions I and II.
Day 1: Wednesday, April 22nd
Why Debate Matters: The Role of Debate in a Democracy
As an introduction to Session III, students will learn about the role of debate in a democratic society. How is debate related to dissent and civic engagement? What defines an honest, fair debate?
Fundamentals of Argumentation
For an argument to be persuasive, it must be supported by logical reasoning and strong evidence. Professor Trapp will teach students the fundamentals of argumentation.
Day 2: Thursday, April 23rd
Preparing to Debate
At the beginning of Day 2, students will suggest resolutions related to the material from Sessions I and II. Using the resolution(s) selected by the group, Professor Trapp will guide students through the essential steps of debate preparation:
1. Interpreting the Resolution
2. Creating Arguments for the Proposition (the team arguing in favor of the resolution)
3. Creating Arguments for the Opposition (the team arguing against the resolution)
4. Refutation (using arguments and evidence to weaken a statement or show that it is false)
After the lecture for each topic, students will break into small groups and practice the activity.
Practice Speeches
The day will conclude with practice speeches for the proposition and opposition, using the resolutions chosen by the students.
Selection of Debate Resolutions for Debates with DCUDL
At the end of the day, students will decide which resolutions they would like to debate with students from the DC Urban Debate League (DCUDL) during their visit to Washington, DC. Program staff will solicit ideas from DCUDL students and select resolutions of mutual interest for a friendly, mini tournament with the DCUDL on Friday, May 1st.
Day 3: Friday, April 24th
Research: The Source of Evidence
Arguments aren’t persuasive if they don’t include supporting evidence. Good debaters, like good writers, must learn to research topics thoroughly and evaluate the quality of the evidence they find.
Note Taking
Taking notes during a debate (called “flowing”) is incredibly important. A debater can’t counter the arguments presented by the other team if he or she can’t remember those arguments! Professor Trapp will teach students how to take notes during a debate.
Debate Practice
The best way to learn to debate is to debate! Students will practice debating in teams, with feedback from Professor Trapp and Willamette Debate Union students.
Day 4: Saturday, April 25th
Public Speaking
Debate requires public speaking skills. Professor Trapp will help students deliver organized speeches with confidence.
Debate Practice
Youth Leadership Festival April 28
The IDEA Youth Leadership Festival will be an opportunity for participants to show host families, instructors, staff members, and members of the community what they’ve learned and achieved in their three weeks at Willamette.
Each community service project group will have the opportunity to present their project. The room will be set up with tables for each team, so that guests can circulate and hear about each project from the students themselves. Students can select any format for their presentations. Examples might include a slide show of photographs, a very short film, a speech about an important issue related to the project, an informative skit, or a poster presentation. In the two days leading up to the celebration, professors, staff, and interns will be available to help students develop their presentations. The evening will conclude with speeches from some of the participants and a showcase debate.
Cultural Visit to Washington, DC
April 29th-May 2nd
After the final session of the Civic Education and Leadership Institute in Salem, OR, participants will travel to the U.S. capital for educational visits to museums, monuments, and other sites of interest and activities with the District of Columbia Urban Debate League (DCUDL). Students will have the chance to observe a debate class or practice, perform a public debate at one of the participating schools, and then participate in a friendly, mini tournament. Students from BiH will be paired with students from the DCUDL to encourage students to learn about each others’ cultures.
TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Teachers will have the unique opportunity to participate in most sessions of the Civic and Education Leadership Institute while also developing new teaching knowledge and skills. Jill Bryant, Associate Professor of Education for High School in Willamette University’s School of Education, will serve as lead instructor for the Teacher Professional Development Program. The program will consist of four key components: (1) Teaching Theory: Lectures and Discussion; (2) Teaching Practices: Self-Directed Teaching Projects; (3) Student Teacher Observation; and (4) Professional Teacher Observation.
Open House at the School of Education at Willamette University
Near the start of the program, the School of Education will host an open house where participating teachers can meet and interact informally with faculty, students, and teachers from the Salem-Keizer school district.
I. Teaching Theory: Lectures and Discussion
Professor Bryant and colleagues
Participating teachers will have the opportunity to learn about the American education system from experts and students at Willamette University’s School of Education as well as professional high school teachers in the area. Professor Bryant and her colleagues will offer lectures on pedagogical theory and lead discussions about teaching methods. Participating teachers will be encouraged to share their experiences from the education system in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
II. Teaching Practices: Self-Directed
Teaching Projects
On most afternoons between 3pm-6pm, while participating students work with students from Willamette Academy, teachers will spend time creating lesson plans using the new techniques they learn from Professor Bryant and her colleagues. The objective of the self-directed teaching projects is for participating teachers to create lesson plans and activities suitable for their classrooms in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Professor Bryant will guide teachers in using democratic techniques to teach supplemental lessons to participating students during the Civic Education and Leadership Institute. Starting in the second week of the program, participating teachers will lead discussions and organize small group activities for the students as part of the institute.
III. Student Teacher Observation
Teachers will accompany Professor Bryant to local high schools to observe student teachers from Willamette University’s School of Education. After each class they observe, teachers will debrief with Professor Bryant about the lesson and the teacher’s pedagogical approach.
IV. Professional Teacher Observation
Teachers will travel to local high schools to observe exceptional teachers in their classrooms. Teachers from BiH will have the opportunity to speak with American high school teachers about their training and methods.
V. Debate Across the Curriculum
Professor Robert Trapp, Director of the Willamette Debate Union and IDEA, will show teachers how debate can be used as a teaching tool in any academic subject.