Riverview School’s 7th grade students do well at State Level of Project Citizen; moving on to nationals

riverview-project-citizen-2016-1Riverview School’s 7th grade students participated in the State Level of Project Citizen, in Madison recently.

Students presented four panels of information, along with a binder full of research, artifacts, and textual evidence, about a problem in society that they wish to solve, or at least better address, through government.

One class of Riverview‛s 7th graders proposed that the state mandate that hospitals, pediatric offices, daycares, eye doctors, glucose testing for pregnant women, and preschools advertise through a flyer or pamphlet the importance of babies, under the age of one, getting an eye examination. Through their research, they discovered that 80 percent of the eye diseases that cause blindness could be cured, if they were found by the age of one. When they research the new literature from local hospitals, which is given to new parents when they leave the hospitals, Riverview 7th graders found that less than  percent of the information refers to eyes, and 0 percent of the information discusses the importance of babies receiving an eye examination before the age of one. Also through their research, students found that there is a state statute already in place that states, that eye doctors are encouraged to give eye exams to those who cannot afford it; yet, when calling local eye doctors, it was found that this is not publicly advertised. The students are passionate about the fact that government get involved to ensure that parents are aware of the fact that their children should have eye examinations before the age of one, and they want less fortunate families to know that doctors are encouraged by government to perform free eye exams, to those who cannot afford it. They intend to continue to seek the attention of government officials, as well as local eye doctors, to help promote this awareness, and they intend to take this to Senator Van Wanggaard, as a bill that they would like him to propose. The Senator visited the class earlier in April, and he told them that he would personally support their endeavor, should they choose to move forward with it.

This class will be moving on to the national competition in California.

Another Riverview 7th grade class proposed that the government make a policy that grants will be awarded to schools who will hold assemblies to spread mental health awareness, in order to “end the stigma” on mental health disorders and help our community better understand the signs, symptoms, and commonality of the issue, in an effort to help those who need it, seek that help. This team also got recognized as a finalist of Project Citizen, 4th at the state level. These students can plan to take their proposed policy to Riverview‛s School Board, asking for their support in this important and sensitive endeavor.

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  1. Nora RM Rosch says:

    Congratulations Riverview 7th Grade students on a job well done! Good luck in your next step.

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