The Peoria Unified School District has a 137-year commitment to student success, which is why it remains at the center of the district’s newly developed Strategic Framework. Student Success is about more than test scores; it’s about developing character, competence and civic education for students to be engaged citizens who thrive in the workforce. This year, Peoria Unified took this commitment to a new, exciting level with the launch of Project Citizen.
Project Citizen, created by the Center for Civic Education — a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization — is a dynamic, real-world civic education experience that empowers students to identify a public policy issue in their community and propose a research-based solution, with an actionable plan for implementation. Directly aligned with Arizona’s history and social sciences standards, Project Citizen guides students through collaborative inquiry, evidence gathering, public deliberation and solution design.
With the launch of Project Citizen, over 75 students united at the Peoria Unified District Administration Center in Glendale, to showcase their research and actionable, solution-oriented plan. Guided by certified educators, teams of students competed in multiple rounds of presentations for prestigious judges from within Peoria Unified’s community. The winners of the inaugural Project Citizen event included a team from Sunset Heights Elementary School, an “A” rated K-8 elementary school in the Peoria Unified School District, who proposed a policy to help prevent heat-related deaths on hiking trails.
Sunset Heights Elementary School eighth graders Aubree Freiwald, Grayson Horton, Savannah Howey, Tristen Olsen and Logan Wagner-Corona shared their inspiration for their proposal stemmed from their genuine concern for the safety and well-being of the community. The team was excited to participate in Project Citizen, and to reinforce skills in communication, teamwork and problem solving while gaining a deeper understanding of the policy making process. All five of the team members said they enjoyed the experience Project Citizen provided and look forward to seeing how their friends and peers in younger grades will embrace the opportunity in the future. These students will compete next at the state competition in May.
Project Citizen is laying the groundwork for students to begin their journey to earn the Arizona Seal of Civics Literacy when they enter high school. The Arizona Seal of Civics Literacy recognizes high school students who achieve a higher level of proficiency in civic education. During the 2024-25 school year, seven students across Peoria Unified obtained their Arizona Seal of Civics Literacy resulting in a seal on their diploma and notation on their official high school transcript.
Peoria Unified takes a comprehensive approach to civic education to ensure students are ready to be involved citizens after graduation. The district consistently reminds students, alumni, families and even the community to register to vote and exercise their voices in local, state and federal elections. Voter registration is a key part of our civic duty and is the first step in ensuring students are prepared to participate in our democracy.
From encouraging new voters to honoring the voices of middle school leaders and from documenting veterans’ stories to prototyping policy solutions, Peoria Unified is creating a continuum of civic experiences that shape character and competence. Students learn that citizenship and patriotism are not just topics of conversation, but ideas to put into practice. It looks like registering to vote. It feels like serving a purpose larger than yourself — uniting a community, so it’s stronger.
With Project Citizen as the newest chapter in the district’s long-standing commitment to civic education, Peoria Unified is preparing a generation of responsible citizens.
Peoria Unified’s message to students is clear: You belong in the conversation, and you have the tools to lead it.
Read the latest edition of unifiED magazine at www.peoriaunified.org/unified.