NHPR will broadcast a live taping of the Civics 101 Summit on Thursday, Oct. 10 at 1 p.m. and again at 9 p.m.
On Sept. 28, NHPR proudly hosted the first Civics 101 Summit in collaboration with NH Civics and NH PBS. This event aimed to empower attendees of all ages to engage actively in their communities—far beyond voting every four years.
“Civic engagement is the foundation of a healthy democracy,” shared Will Stewart, Executive Director of Leadership New Hampshire, during his opening remarks in the Walker Auditorium at Southern New Hampshire University. “We may not always agree on policy or politics – but it is our ability to listen, to engage respectfully, and find common ground that will allow us to move forward together. Today’s summit is an opportunity to practice that kind of engagement.”
The summit included a live taping of NHPR’s Civics 101 podcast, followed by breakout sessions led by local educators, community leaders, and youth advocates from organizations including NextGen America, the Remedial Herstory Project, and iCivics. These sessions provided participants with practical strategies for civic engagement and tools to enhance their impact within their communities.
After the event, we asked participants to share what they learned. Here’s what attendees had to say:
Sam Cassin, the high school voter registration coordinator at Open Democracy NH and a breakout session facilitator shared, "The Civics 101 Summit was a great opportunity for everyone involved! I got to interact with many students, teachers, and volunteers after the panel discussion, which I was a part of, and they all seemed very enthusiastic about putting high school voter registration events into their own communities!"
Patrice Fredette from Hopkinton, reflected, “My biggest takeaway from the event is realizing that our democracy is fragile and that everyone should be a well-informed participant. Democracy is NOT a spectator sport.”
“This event was valuable for the Civics 101 team in several ways: it allowed us to build the community into the show, it gave us the opportunity to test out a new format and get feedback from the audience in real time.”Christina Phillips, Sr. Producer of Civics 101
This sentiment resonated with many. Lee Stanish from Keene, asserted, “It is our duty as American citizens to be involved in upholding democracy.”
“Getting involved affects our everyday lives,” echoed Ann Seward of Goffstown.
“It was inspiring to be with over 100 people who not only love Civics 101 but who also care deeply about community building,” said NHPR CEO and President Jim Schachter. “Conversations that began on this day will continue in towns and on campuses all over the state—and beyond.”
“It was absolutely exhilarating,” Nick Capodice, co-host of Civics 101 reflected. “For the first time in a long while, I was in a room where I felt ‘civil discourse,’ an expression I've come to view with a kind of defeated cynicism, was actually possible. I'm so grateful to everyone who came.”
Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to these crucial conversations. We hope you will continue fostering an informed and vibrant community!
Thank you to our sponsors, partners, and host, Southern New Hampshire University.
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