The State Civic Seal of Engagement application is now open for graduating California seniors who excel in civics education, civic involvement, and demonstrate understanding of the U.S. Constitution, the California Constitution, and the democratic government system. The main purpose of the seal is to highlight students that meet all of the above criteria as civic citizens.
The seal’s criteria was adopted in September 2020. HUSD first awarded the seal in 2021 to graduating seniors. Recently, the state awarded a grant to school districts in Alameda County to give more students the opportunity to engage in required activities to meet criteria for the seal.
Mt. Eden social sciences teacher Steven Elliott spoke about receiving training to understand the seal. “As a teacher, I’ll be implementing those lessons in my classroom,” said Elliott.
The goal is for at least juniors and seniors to participate in civic projects that will give more students the chance to meet requirements for the seal. Students wishing to pursue careers such as politics or social sciences would benefit from getting the seal since it shows their civic capabilities from a younger age.
The HUSD class of 2025 application is open until May 12 at 11:59pm. All students that meet the requirements can apply to receive recognition and a seal on their diploma.