Students showcase their commitment to civics
Students present their project to Elizabeth Coughlin. 
Emily Reid, Hannah Zexter and Daniella Yu explain their project about overdevelopment in town. 
Amelia Bolger, Maddie Pavao and Stella Tripp did a project on school start times. 
Mia Furtado, Addison LaBelle, Reese Rymszewicz and Bella Valente did their project on AI usage in school. 
Isabella medeiros, Torrance Terrenzi and Vincent Ventura did their project on healtheir lunches. 
Emma Wallace, Kaeleen Carter and Chloe Korolnek did a project on making tutoring more accessible. 
Sophie Sladewski, Arianna Sales, and Juliana Oliveira present their project on school nutrition to Youth Advocate Deloris Joseph.
Emelia Goddard, Lily Weisberg, and Emma Dury present their project on Women's History in the curriculum to Ross Thibault.
Rosanna Vargo and Lauren Rose-Wells present their project on body image to Heidi-Silva Brooks. 
David Tatelbaum shakes Isaac Parsons' hand. 
Anakin Barboza, Isaac Parsons and Landon Eckstrom present their project on changing the school system. 
Aubrey Mosher, Hannah Woodman, Amelia Wood and Mackenzie DaCosta did a project on putting trash cans on the beaches. 
Avery Imbeau, Giuliana Gioni, Hudson Igisomar and Adriana Dionisio did a project on teenage suicide. 
Students present their project on adding a women's studies class to the curriculum. 
Nathan Silva and David Tatelbaum listen to a presentation on body image. 
A project on school start times. 
Meghan Kirby, Haley Whittle and Coraline Lalli did a project on the impact of social media.
Students present their project to Elizabeth Coughlin.
Emily Reid, Hannah Zexter and Daniella Yu explain their project about overdevelopment in town.
Amelia Bolger, Maddie Pavao and Stella Tripp did a project on school start times.
Mia Furtado, Addison LaBelle, Reese Rymszewicz and Bella Valente did their project on AI usage in school.
Isabella medeiros, Torrance Terrenzi and Vincent Ventura did their project on healtheir lunches.
Emma Wallace, Kaeleen Carter and Chloe Korolnek did a project on making tutoring more accessible.
Sophie Sladewski, Arianna Sales, and Juliana Oliveira present their project on school nutrition to Youth Advocate Deloris Joseph.
Emelia Goddard, Lily Weisberg, and Emma Dury present their project on Women's History in the curriculum to Ross Thibault.
Rosanna Vargo and Lauren Rose-Wells present their project on body image to Heidi-Silva Brooks.
David Tatelbaum shakes Isaac Parsons' hand.
Anakin Barboza, Isaac Parsons and Landon Eckstrom present their project on changing the school system.
Aubrey Mosher, Hannah Woodman, Amelia Wood and Mackenzie DaCosta did a project on putting trash cans on the beaches.
Avery Imbeau, Giuliana Gioni, Hudson Igisomar and Adriana Dionisio did a project on teenage suicide.
Students present their project on adding a women's studies class to the curriculum.
Nathan Silva and David Tatelbaum listen to a presentation on body image.
A project on school start times.
Meghan Kirby, Haley Whittle and Coraline Lalli did a project on the impact of social media.
Dartmouth Middle School students stood in groups in front of colorfully decorated tri-fold boards, showcasing the research they spent a month preparing for the school’s second annual Civics Showcase, held on Wednesday, April 15.
Topics this year ranged from school-wide issues like healthier lunches and access to tutors to, town-wide issues like with the overdevelopment of town, and general issues that teenagers deal with such as social media use and suicide.
“They get to explore all sorts of topics and then pick the one that matters the most to them,” said Laura Gardner, the school librarian, who collaborates with the eighth grade teachers on the project.
She added, “I’ve worked in a middle school for a really long time, and this age group has lots of ideas. … And I think that it’s really empowering for them to see that adults from the community want to hear what they have to say.”
Eighth graders across the state are mandated to participate in a civics project, where they choose an issue and research ways to improve or solve it.
“I feel like the civics project is definitely important, and it gives students a voice in the school, especially at our age,” said Meghan Kirby, whose project focused on the negative effects social media can have. “We feel like we have a voice and we can make a change. And even if it’s just in our community, we feel we have the ability to make things better than they are right now.”
The top 12 winners at the middle school were selected to showcase their research, and members from the Select Board, Board of Health, School Committee and more came to judge their work.
“The other thing that impressed me about the students is how well they’re able to talk about, and answer questions that they may not have considered,” said School Committee Chair Mary Beckwith, “So they’re ready for this day, and it’s just really impressive.”
The winners of the showcase haven't been decided yet, as the 12 judges each had to choose their top two projects. Judges watched the students' presentations, and asked questions to decide.
“The research that they’ve gone into, the thought process, surveying, I’m just very impressed,” said Select Board Chair Heidi Silva Brooks. “Twelve different perspectives on issues that are important to all of us, not just eighth graders.”
Brooks said she will be reaching out to teachers at the school to potentially connect the students with Dartmouth Community Television to present their projects to a wider audience.
Typically, the top two projects go on to a regional competition, which will be held in May at UMass Dartmouth. However, Dartmouth is trying to get three projects in this year due to how well the students did.
“They really have a chance to share their concerns with the community and to make an actual difference,” said Gardner. “It’s the best day of the year.”
