The Arizona Cardinals are empowering young leaders on and off the field. Their Civics Matter program cultivates year-round civic education for Title I high school students.
The program connects civil knowledge to real-world decision-making and leadership, aimed at shaping future leaders.
Students in grades 6-11 can access course materials online for no cost. Those in grades 9-11 can compete for a chance to fly to Washington, D.C., on the Cardinals team plane.
During the program, students attend the Civics Matters Summit, where they visit historical landmarks and meet with elected officials.
Shaun Mayo, Arizona Cardinals Chief People Officer, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss how the initiative is shaping the state’s next generation of leaders.
“This is a brain-child of Michael Bidwell, about five years ago now, started thinking about how to use our assets to do good in the community,” Mayo said. “We acquired some new assets, one being a plane, and wanted to figure out, ‘how do we pour into our youth, help them be more engaged citizens?'”
Mayo emphasized how the program is intended to teach students to use their voice, get involved, and move beyond just what they’re learning in the classroom, and take action in their communities.
“A lot of civics partners in the space come out to the table and get students interested in the things that they have to offer,” Mayo said. “…we don’t want to be the experts…we want to use our platform to attract those that want to learn more about civics.”
For the students interested in getting a chance to join the Washington D.C. trip, students complete modules and then get the opportunity to produce content. In either written, video, or audio form, they answer different prompts about how they can get involved within their local communities.
For more information regarding Civics Matters Arizona, please visit civicsmattersaz.com.
