ETHS hosted its seventh annual Civics Fair on Jan. 23 and 24. This yearly event aims to facilitate the interaction between students and local nonprofit organizations. All sophomores attended as part of their Civics curriculum, but students of all grades were encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity. Local organizations set up booths around the Hub, and talked with interested students about their mission and work.
“Civics is inherently social and modern. People are doing civics-y things around the world, and so many are doing it in our community,” said Andrew Ginsberg, a history and civics teacher who runs the fair. “The fair is a chance for students to see it in action because it’s one thing to read about it and another thing to have a conversation with somebody.”
The school had booths from community organizations such as Center on Halsted, which works towards “advancing the community and securing the health and well-being of the LGBTQ+ people of Chicagoland,” as well as Citizens Network of Protection, a non-profit organization that was created to “promote racial and economic justice within the legal system, prevent government overreach and abuse in the area of law enforcement, and uphold civil rights within the Evanston community.”
Organizations that try to address ongoing global-scale conflicts were also present, such as Jewish Voice for Peace, a group that mainly focuses on pro-Palestine liberation but also works towards ending anti-semitism and white supremacy. The organization helps empower students to take action and engage in sit-ins or peaceful protests.
“It’s exciting to be here because it’s not often that a lot of schools or community centers invite anti-zionist Jewish organizations who are pro-Palestine into their spaces for education,” said a representative from Jewish Voice for Peace.
A recurring theme among many of the participating organizations was the importance of media literacy, especially in an era where many people get the majority of their news from social media.
For students who are interested in volunteering in the Evanston community, opportunities can be found through the ETHS Community Service Club.
