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March 8, 2007

Henry Haupt

Secretary Of State Jesse White Welcomes Students To
The 8th Annual Capitol Forum On America's Future

SPRINGFIELD — Secretary of State Jesse White and the Illinois Humanities Council will welcome approximately 140 Illinois high school students from 17 high schools throughout the state to the State Capitol on Friday to participate in Illinois' Capitol Forum on America's Future.

The Capitol Forum is a civic education program that challenges young people to learn about and discuss important issues that impact America's future. Illinois is one of only nine states chosen to participate in this project.

The program has been highlighted nationally with articles appearing in the New York Times and coverage by CNN for its efforts to bring debate to the classroom and educate students about current United States foreign policy issues.

"Illinois has participated in this program since the beginning." said White. "As the future leaders of this country, students need challenging programs such as the Capitol Forum to provide them with the opportunity to debate other students on the many facets of United States foreign policy."

The Capitol Forum curriculum is coordinated nationally by the Choices for the 21st Century Education Project, a program of the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University, and partially funded through a grant given by the McCormick Tribune Foundation.

"This is a great opportunity for students to get together and talk with their peers about our government and United States foreign policy. These can be difficult issues to discuss but the Capitol Forum gets students involved in the process," said Kristina Valaitis, Executive Director of the Illinois Humanities Council, co-sponsor of the Illinois Capitol Forum Program. "We need more opportunities like this for our high schools."

Schools participating in the Capitol Forum this year include: Bureau Valley High School, Manlius; E.S.P. Lafayette Center, Jacksonville; Eureka High School, Eureka; Farragut Career Academy, Chicago; Geneva Community High School, Geneva; Granite City High School, Granite City; Hinsdale South High School, Darien; Homewood-Flossmoor High School, Flossmoor; Judah Christian High School, Champaign; Lockport Township High School, Lockport; Newark High School, Newark; Normal Community High School, Normal; Normal West Community High School, Normal; Pontiac Township High School, Pontiac; Streamwood High School, Streamwood; SIU-East St. Louis Charter School, East St. Louis; and York Community High School, Elmhurst.