New Visions is reimagining how civics is taught through the Richard Beattie Civics and History Fund, supported by generous individual donations made in memory of our much-beloved New Visions founder and long-time Board Chair. Through this initiative, new curriculum resources and educator professional learning  will empower teachers to foster students’ collaboration and leadership skills, giving them the tools to enrich their communities. Young people won’t just learn about civics; they’ll put their learning into practice.

We’ve begun this critical work, simultaneously tackling two urgent challenges: the need to build students’ capacity for constructive civic engagement, and the demand for adaptable career skills in an ever-changing economy. Our materials will be in high demand as New York State moves toward a new set of high school graduation requirements–the Portrait of a Graduate framework–which explicitly centers the importance of civics skills.

Empowering Students in the Classroom

When teachers bring these resources to life, they empower students to develop competencies that serve them both in the workplace and as active members of a democracy:

• Solve Real Problems: Students identify and research issues relevant to their local communities.
• Take Action: Working in teams, students design solutions and present them to authentic audiences.
• Gain Essential Skills: Students practice critical thinking, communication, and leadership—key pillars for meaningful democratic participation.

A Flexible Framework

The opportunities to apply this framework are endless, starting with both Social Studies and Science courses. For example, in a unit on the Code of Hammurabi, students explore how the written laws of early societies governed conflict resolution.

Drawing on this historical study, students then turn their focus to their own school community. They analyze their school’s code of conduct to develop thoughtful proposals for strengthening it, which they then present to peers and school leaders.

Through the Beattie Fund, New Visions is honoring Mr. Beattie’s legacy of impact by ensuring the next generation is prepared to make history.