RENÉ M. LAFAYETTE
PROJECTS
Founder of annual Constitution Day Assembly. Created two social studies electives: Citizenship In Action and Foundations of Homeland Security. Persuaded Town Clerk to utilize students as poll workers. Conducted voter registration drives. Coordinated first ever field trip to attend Massachusetts Presidential Electors meeting and visit Supreme Judicial Court. Annual Student Government Day advisor. Delivered paper to American Bar Association on civic education. Attended Congress in the Classroom program sponsored by the Dirksen Congressional Center.
Citizenship In Action
21st Century Civic Education
First offered in 2007, Citizenship In Action provides students with the information and skills that a citizen needs to be effective on the local, state and federal levels of government. Pictured here students attend the Fall Financial Town Meeting for the Town of Northbridge.
CONGRESSMAN NEAL VISITS CLASSROOM
U.S. Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA) visits NHS
Congressman Richard Neal (D-MA) addresses Citizenship In Action classes and fields questions on a wide variety of subjects. Neal is a ranking minority member of a Ways and Means Committee subcommittee.
STUDENT POLL WORKERS
A Northbridge first using Mass election law.
Students from Citizenship In Action elective and American Studies II classes served in a variety of roles on Election Day beginning with the Presidential Election of 2008. Northbridge was the only community in the Blackstone Valley to utilize this provision in state law and have 16 and 17 year olds actively serve.
EDUCATION COMMISSIONER VISITS CLASSROOM
Dr. Mitchell Chester becomes the first Education Commissioner to visit Northbridge.
The Commissioner accepted Lafayette's invitation to speak to Citizenship In Action classes and visit Northbridge High School. This event was extensively covered by the local media and the Commissioner fielded nearly 3 dozen questions on subjects ranging from bullying to MCAS testing.
