From left, MERMS Civics Teacher Joan McWhorter, and Grade 8 students Katelin Aloi, Erika Kozyrev and Kendall Shanks. (Photo Courtesy Manchester Essex Regional School District)

Superintendent Pam Beaudoin and Principal Joanne Maino are pleased to share that two groups of Grade 8 students from Manchester Essex Regional Middle School (MERMS) attended and presented projects at the State Civics Showcase at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute in Boston on June 6.

Each spring, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) celebrates the work of civics students in Grades 8-12 across the state. Through “science fair-style” showcases, students have the opportunity to share their civics projects with local community advisors and each other, receive feedback on their work, and be recognized for their civic engagement.

MERMS students Kaitelin Aloi, Kendall Shanks, and Erika Kozyrev — who have been working on their projects since the spring — attended the event.

Aloi’s project focused on loneliness in the senior population and the subsequent negative emotional and health effects. As part of her project, she reached out to the Manchester Council on Aging and organized an event at her church where young people colored seashells with seniors.

Shanks and Kozyrev researched the detrimental effects of fast fashion on our environment. They raised awareness of the issue through social media and created a petition to show support for their policy goal of getting sustainable fashion companies tax incentives. They also reached out to Rep. Tram T. Nguyen to support her work to pass legislation to reduce fast fashion in our society.

Keynote speakers at the event included Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler and former state legislator Adam Hines.

All students had the opportunity to present their Student-Led Civics Projects at MERMS’s Local Civics Fair on June 12th, which was hosted by their Civics Teacher, Joan McWhorter.

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