APS Civics
Education Initiative

“The practice of democracy is not passed down through the gene pool. It must be taught and learned anew by each generation of citizens.”

– Sandra Day O’Connor 

CEI at a Glance 

APS’s Civics Education Initiative is a year-long Project-Based Learning program where KC area high school students leave their classrooms and come together with students from other schools to engage in fact-based, civil conversations across divides, preparing them to lead thoughtful, productive discussions in their community. The program kicks off with our signature “Can You Agree to Disagree Better?” workshop. Throughout the year, CEI students work together to plan a signature APS panel discussion featuring diverse perspectives on a highly polarizing topic. Students choose the topic, research and suggest panelists, and run the event for audiences in person and online.   

Across five workdays throughout the school year, students build civic skills by engaging in a mix of student-led discussions, guest workshops, and exercises. Each day’s learning is designed to be active, engaging, and experiential, ensuring our students have agency in their learning process. Students engage with a robust network of civic leaders across public policy, journalism, law, academia, and more, transforming civic education into sustained, real-world community leadership. 

If you are an educator or administrator interested in learning more about APS’s civics education offerings, please reach out to us at info@americanpublicsquare.org. 

“People who want change live worldwide and just thinking about ways to connect us all across age and backgrounds has a big impact for my peers and I at this point in our lives!” 

– Former CEI student

“The experience led me to see how many people truly care about the KC metro area. It also allowed me to meet with many community partners and align myself and my values with their missions and goals” 

– Former CEI student 

Special memberships are available to students and educators for $25.

Show your support of civics education with a $25 donation that will be used to provide a membership to a local student or educator.

The 2026-27 Civics Education Initiative directly benefits a diverse cohort of around 90 students and 8 educators across 9 partner schools. This intentionally integrated cohort unites youth from public, private, and charter sectors spanning urban, suburban, and rural communities. These schools include:  
Belton High School, Guadalupe Centers High School, The Kauffman School, Liberty High School, Liberty North High School, Olathe North High School, Olathe East High School, Shawnee Mission North High School, St. Teresa’s Academy, and Pembroke Hill High School.

Throughout our civics education work with students and community members, American Public Square seeks to build stronger, more connected youth communities by:  

  Cultivating an appreciation for civil discourse and the importance of engaging with diverse perspectives on complex issues. 

  Strengthen communication skills through open inquiry, deliberation, and viewpoint diversity. 

  Foster a sense of belonging and civic engagement, encouraging students to take on meaningful roles in their communities.  

“I felt seen and comfortable with sharing my opinions even if we disagreed over certain views or paths to take logistically” 

– Former CEI student 

In the broader community, we collaborate with local organizations to deliver programs built around our “Can You Agree to Disagree Better?” workshop. It focuses on why and how Americans must engage in civil discourse across divides with curiosity, an open mind, and constructive communication skills. In the workshop, participants engage with topics like political polarization, bridging divides, and intellectual humility, while gaining valuable dialogue skills. If you’d like us to bring the workshop to your community, please email info@americanpublicsquare.org. 

In June 2026, American Public Square launched our first high school internship program through ProX, a local nonprofit that connects Kansas City area high school students with paid summer internships. We welcomed 3 high school interns for an impactful 5 weeks where they developed an innovative project to bridge the gap between civic education and engagement for the students in our Civics Education Initiative. Their final product, AmeriCraft, is being implemented into our 2026-2027 CEI program.  

AmeriCraft is a civic engagement game created by teens, for teens where students earn “experience points” by doing real things in their community — attending local government meetings, volunteering, exploring different perspectives, and more. As students compete for the title of Civic Champion across 7 civic engagement pathways, they explore what it means to be active, engaged members of their community.  

“It gave me hope, hope that there are people out there with civic skills to communicate with each other who want to make a difference” 

-APS ProX Intern, summer 2026