Washington State Coalition for International Education announces:
 

2007 WASHINGTON STATE CAPITOL FORUM ON AMERICA'S FUTURE

For Immediate Release March 26, 2007
Contact: Carol Coe, State Coordinator
206-932-2637, carolcoe@u.washington.edu

Date: March 29, 2007 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location: Columbia Room in the State Capitol (Legislative Building) in Olympia, WA

SEATTLE, WA – More than one hundred students and teachers from Washington high schools are set to travel to Olympia on March 29 to participate in the third annual Washington State Capitol Forum on America's Future. The program, which is to be held in the Columbia Room in the Legislative Building of the State Capitol, features student deliberation on issues of immigration, environment, trade, nuclear proliferation, and terrorism. The program will commence at 8:30 a.m. with a Keynote Address by Attorney W. Lawrence Carney. Throughout the day students will be discussing issues of global significance, culminating in a Forum with Elected Officials at 2:30 p.m. The day’s activities will conclude with a photo session at 3:45 p.m. on the steps of the Legislative Building.

The Capitol Forum program, developed by Brown University in Rhode Island, is celebrating its tenth year of operation. The program engages high school social studies students and teachers both within their social studies classroom and beyond the classroom at their state capitol. During the past decade a total of twelve states have participated; Washington State joined during the 2004-2005 school year when Dr. Michele Anciaux Aoki launched the program under the sponsorship of the World Affairs Council. Jim Schell from Crossroads Preparatory Academy (Tacoma) has served as Lead Teacher for the past two years. Educators Carol Coe (Seattle) and Linda Quinn (Puyallup) are the State Organizers for this year’s Capitol Forum.

"The Capitol Forum is one of the most successful programs in the nation for helping students understand the role of values in national policy decisions. Our country is ready to export democracy around the world, yet how well do we infuse the core concepts of democracy in our children's education? The Capitol Forum creates a safe place for students to explore different viewpoints on the way to forming their own opinions," stated Dr. Michele Anciaux Aoki, Founder of Washington State Capitol Forum.

The Washington State Capitol Forum is co-sponsored this year by:

• International Trade Education Foundation
• Secretary of State Sam Reed
• Social Studies Education Program, College of Education, University of Washington, Seattle
• Washington Council on International Trade
• Washington State Coalition for International Education
• World Affairs Council Global Classroom Program

After the day of Capitol Forum activities in Olympia, students will return to their classrooms and host their own class-wide forums. Students who participate in Olympia or at their home high schools are eligible to participate in a nationwide Capitol Forum Online Ballot to compare their policy conclusions with those of students from other states. Results of the ballot will be compiled and distributed by Brown University to elected officials, Washington schools, and news media later this summer. For more information about the program, please visit the forum website at http://internationaledwa.org/capitolforum/ or contact State Coordinator Carol Coe (information above).

Participating Schools and Teachers:

Cleveland, Seattle (Doug Edelstein);
Crossroads Preparatory Academy, Lakewood (Jim Schell);
Achiever School,  Lakewood (David Russel, Cecily Schmidt);
Evergreen, Evergreen  (Melissa Brainerd);
Franklin Pierce, Tacoma (Jeff Beha);
Garfield, Seattle (Hersh Mandelman);
Graham-Kapowsin, Graham (Karen Seaborn);
The Learning Community, Lakewood (Matthew Yarkosky);
Nathan Hale, Seattle (Erin Lynch, Tony Renouard);
Options, Bellingham (Steve Hoffman);
Phoenix Learning Community, Lakewood (Kelly Selby);
Powerhouse Learning Community, Lakewood (Sara Brewer);
Puyallup, Puyallup (Nate Barnett);
Rogers, Puyallup (James Crawford);
Renton High School, Renton (Amy Howland);
Seattle Girls’ School, Seattle (Wendy Ewbank);
South Whidbey, Langley (John LaVassar);
Tacoma School of the Arts, Tacoma (Liz Dwyer, Michaele Sein-Ryan)

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