A lot of people have been asking me about the semester project. Here is the information you got in the first day of school!

Project Choices (please select one):

1. Go to a Meeting of a governmental organization. This may include the RRISD school board, the Round Rock City Council, Williamson County Court, the Texas Legislature, etc… You will need to get a meeting agenda or a signature from a board member. I will be glad to help you find a meeting to participate at. You will write a summary of your experience and how it relates to what you have learned in government. You MUST include a picture of you at the event in your final project.
The summary will have four parts:
a. What was discussed
b. What did you notice about the proceedings and the processes of the meeting?
c. What your opinion is about the experience
d. What this ‘democracy’ as you would expect? Explain your answer.

2. Get Involved in an Election Campaign: There are several campaigns already running now for the 2010 election; senators, representatives, state senators, state representatives, state board of education, municipal judges, city council, school board, etc… I have the contact information for many candidates. Get involved and volunteer (at least 10 hours)! You will need to have a signed letter certifying your hard work. Your summary must include:
a. What were your duties?
b. What was your general impression of the office/work done?
c. Would you do this again?
d. Was this ‘democracy’ as you would expect? Explain your answer.

3. Read & Analyze a Book on contemporary politics, or American political history, that you and I agree upon in advance. You may peruse the political/historical section at a bookstore or the local library. Write a 750-1000 word book report in which you:
a. Indicate something about the author(s) and their qualifications
b. Summarize the book’s argument or thesis
c. Offer a critique of the book’s analysis/conclusions, based on your knowledge from the course and readings
d. Include your own reaction from the book

4. Create a Notebook of current event articles throughout the semester that relate to government. You may locate these articles in current magazines, the internet, newspapers, etc. (1) Provide a copy of the article; (2) write review of the article; (3) and an explanation regarding how the article relates to what you have learned in government. Articles must be collected throughout the semester (there must be at least 1/3 of the articles dated from each six weeks in the semester). In addition, no more than half of the articles may be from the internet.
A – 15 articles B – 12 articles C – 10 articles

5. State Bar of Texas YouTube Contest: Ideals that Unite Us. Create a three-minute-or-less video that captures your vision of the ideals that unite us as citizens of Texas. Be creative! Videos will be graded (by Mr. Osman) based on the quality of the work and the effectiveness of the argument.
• To enter the “Ideals That Unite Us” contest: Read and agree to the contest rules. Submit/post your video to www.youtube.com/group/texansonjustice by March 16, 2009. Videos must be three minutes long or less. If you are under the age of 18, be sure to submit a signed parental permission form.
• $2,500 scholarship for under 18 winner / $2,500 cash prizes for 18 and over, People’s Choice, and Classroom winners!
• More information can be found at: http://www.texasbar.com/texansonjustice

6. Williamson County/YMCA Teen Court: Teen Court gives teens an opportunity to serve jury duty and to attend educational programs. Individual cases are defended and prosecuted by teen attorneys; the verdict is rendered by a jury of teens. Participartion in this Teen Court gives teens an opportunity to realize their roles in the community, instills a sense of pride and responsibility, and through the use of positive peer pressure, helps create a better community for all.
• All court and training sessions are held on Mondays 6:30 – 8:45 p.m. in the Williamson County Annex in Cedar Park – 350 Discovery Blvd. Appropriate dress and behavior from teens and adults is expected at all times.
• If you would like to participate in Teen Court as a court official or as a defendant, call one of the following numbers for more information: Judge Edna Staudt 512.260.4210 of Jamie Solis, Program Director 512.615.7411

7. Volunteer: You may choose to volunteer at a place of your choice that relates to government. You will write a summary of your experiences and how they relate to what you have learned in government. Included in this summary will be a description of your experience, the person who supervised you and a phone number so I can verify your experiences. I will be glad to help you find a place to volunteer. You must catalogue all the hours that you volunteer.
A – 12 hours
B – 10 hours
C – 8 hours