Restorative Practices for Educators and Administrators
2024-08-13 09:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
Join us for Restorative Practices for Educators and Administrators, a free, virtual professional development workshop on Tuesday, August 13th from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm via Zoom. Participants will learn a framework to guide Restorative Practices and see how it relates to Multi-Tiered Systems of Support and the social emotional needs of all students.
Susan Villani of WestEd will lead the session. Three (3) PD hours are earned for this session and a digital certificate can be provided upon request.
Our thanks to the Center for Education Equity for making these days of learning possible. Register now!

Social Media and Democracy with Harvard Law Professor Lawrence Lessig
2024-05-14 16:30 - 17:30 | The Audi, 2 Prince Street, Concord, NH, 03301, United States
Watch here.

Restorative Practices for Educators and Administrators - 3 NH Dates & Locations!
2024-04-30 09:00 - 14:00
Bring your whole team for a full-day interactive session for educators and administrators of all student ages. You will learn or go deeper in Restorative Practice, and consider implementation techniques for your practice in classrooms, offices, schools, and districts. Access clickable flyer here to register.

Mikva Challenge Project Soapbox
2024-04-11 17:00 - 19:30 | The Audi, 2 Prince Street, Concord, NH, 03301, United States
JOIN US! Youth voice will be front and center at the Mikva Challenge Project Soapbox event on Thursday, April 11, from 5:00 – 7:30 pm at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St. in Concord as students from across the state present inspiring speeches to their peers and community members on a variety of timely topics. The event is open to the public and admission is free, but registration is required here.

The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens with Dr. Richard Haass
2024-02-06 11:00 - 12:15
Join former US diplomat and NY Times best-selling author Dr. Haass and a panel of New Hampshire high schoolers for a virtual discussion about what the American people can do – both individually and collectively – to ensure that American democracy not only survives but thrives. Watch the video recording here.

Teaching Current Events Through a Foreign Relations Lens
2024-01-10 16:00 - 17:00
Watch the recording here.
High school and higher ed teachers! Join Casey Finch, Deputy Director of Teaching and Learning for the Council on Foreign Relations, for a FREE virtual workshop providing tips and resources on teaching current events through a foreign relations lens. Professional development hours are available. Register here.

NH's 2024 Kid Governor® Inauguration (via livestream)
2024-01-09 10:00 - 11:30
Watch live from the NH State House on Tuesday, January 9, from 10:00-11:30 am as 2024 NH’s Kid Governor Ellie Lively and her Executive Councilors are sworn into office. Access the livestream at: http//tinyurl.com/KidGovInauguration.

NH Youth Voter Registration Conference
2023-11-11 10:00 - 14:00 | Concord City Wide Community Center, 14 Canterbury Rd., Concord, NH, 03301, United States
Calling all students, educators, and election officials:

Join us for at the NH Youth Voter Registration Conference on November 11 from 10-2 at the City Wide Community Center in Concord. You’ll learn how to run a high school voter registration drive for your school and will gain all the skills and resources you need through workshops, panels, speakers, and expert planning support.
Register for FREE here: https://www.opendemocracynh.org/voterregcon

Teaching the Presidential Election in Polarizing Times
2023-10-19 16:00 - 17:00
A Two-Part Virtual Series for Grade 8-12 Teachers made possible by Citizens Count.
Thursdays October 19 and November 2 – 4:00-5:00 pm
Watch the video recordings here: Part One (Election Processes) and Part Two (Candidacy and Campaigns)

Bringing Global Civics to the Classroom
2023-09-20 19:00 - 20:00 | UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law, 2 White Street, Concord, NH, 03301, United States
SESSION 1: An Introduction to Council on Foreign Relations’ Education Resources (virtual)
View the webinar here.

Civics & Civility: A Conversation with Governor Chris Sununu
2023-09-18 16:30 - 17:30 | The Audi, 2 Prince Street, Concord, NH, 03301, United States
“Civics & Civility: A Conversation with NH Governor Chris Sununu,” a William W. Treat Lecture, will be held on Monday, September 18, 2023, at 4:30 p.m. at The Audi (Concord City Auditorium). Current and past participants on the NH’s Kid Governor® program will join the conversation, which will be moderated by Laura Knoy, former host of The Exchange on New Hampshire Public Radio. Watch a recording of the event here.

NH's Kid Governor® Orientation & Boot Camp (Virtual)
2023-08-21 09:00 - 11:00
For 5th grade teachers and administrators planning to participate in NH’s Kid Governor Program for the 2023-2024 school year. If you haven’t yet signed up, but want to know more, please join us!
Presenter: Jo Ann Robichaud, NH’s Kid Governor Project Coordinator
Register here.

Civics Resources for Secondary Education (Virtual)
2023-08-16 09:00 - 13:00
This virtual workshop is for 6-12 educators and administrators. Participants will be provided with resources and pedagogy for secondary civics.
Presenters: Amanda Maguire, Partner Site Director for Mikva Challenge’sProject Soapbox, and Jeff Urbin, Education Specialist at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library.
Register here.

Integration of Civics in Elementary Grades
2023-08-15 09:00 - 15:00
Register here.

Discovery Education K-8 (Virtual)
2023-08-14 09:00 - 10:30
This virtual workshop is for K-8 school educators and administrators and will provide an overview of the Discovery Ed platform, along with opportunities for hands-on learning.
Register here.

Restorative Practices for Administrators August 8 & 9, 2023
2023-08-08 09:00 - 14:00 | UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law, 2 White Street, Concord, NH, 03301, United States
We are grateful to the Center for Education Equity for making these days of learning possible.
REGISTER HERE.

Restorative Practices in Schools Professional Development Workshop
2023-03-23 09:00 - 14:00 | UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law, 2 White Street, Concord, NH, 03301, United States
In this two part PD (sessions on March 23rd and May 10th), school teams will be using “Getting Started with Restorative Practices,” a newly published toolkit from the Center for Education Equity. They will learn the rationale and results of implementing a Restorative Practices approach to building student, staff, and family relationships and a positive school climate, that yields increased instructional time because students are rarely suspended from school for disciplinary reasons. This workshop is appropriate for district and school administrators, teachers, counselors, and other school personnel. School or District teams of 2-4 are encouraged! “Singles” are welcome as well. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. REGISTER HERE.
We’ve reached capacity for the Restorative Practices in Schools PD workshop. To be added to the waitlist, please email communications@nhcivics.org. Thank you!
Presenter:
Susan Villani, Ed.D.
Senior Program Associate, WestEd
Five PD hours are earned for each session and a certificate can be provided upon request. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
We are thankful to the Center for Education Equity for making these days of learning possible.

2023 HYPE Conference
2023-03-16 07:30 - 14:30 | Hamel Recreation Center, 5 Edgewood Drive, Durham, NH, 03824
The 2023 HYPE conference, hosted by Souhegan High School’s Ethics Forum, is coming up on Thursday, March 16th.
HYPE stands for “Hosting Young Philosophy Enthusiasts” and was founded by Souhegan seniors in 2009 as an opportunity for high school students to have meaningful philosophical discussions centered on philosophical topics centered on ethics and civil discourse. HYPE is unique because it is an authentic high school student conference created, designed and led by high school students for high school students. The HYPE project and its affiliated student voice and leadership programs provide students from all over the greater New England region, the chance to have discussions at large and small student-led conferences at a number of venues in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Based on the educational tenets of Souhegan High School, the great tradition of Socratic dialogue endorsed by the University of New Hampshire Durham’s department of philosophy and the directives of St. Anselm College’s ethics and leadership training, students discuss important issues and topics not only with their peers but also with experts who help to shape their ideas and perspectives.

Schools interested in this program should contact Christopher Brooks, coordinator of the HYPE program, through the following e-mail: cbrooks@sau39.org.

Youth Voice & Experiential Civics Education Professional Development Workshop
2023-03-10 09:00 - 12:00 | North Country Education Services, 300 Gorham Hill Rd., Gorham, NH, 03581, United States
Join NH Civics on March 10th, 2023 for a day of civics education professional development! Learn about ways to bring youth voice and experiential civics education into your classroom and communities through Mikva Challenge and other NH Civics curriculum. Three PD hours are earned for this session and a certificate can be provided upon request. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. REGISTER HERE.
Presenters:
Amanda Maguire, Partner Site Director, Mikva Challenge
Mallory Langkau, Groveton Social Studies Teacher and Mikva Challenge Teacher Leader
This workshop is appropriate for middle and high school educators. Teachers and administrators are welcome!
We are grateful to the Weyerhauser Foundation for making this day of learning possible.

Renewing Trust in Democracy: Equal Access to Justice
2022-10-25 18:00 - 19:00
Renewing Trust in Democracy:
Equal Access to Justice
A William W. Treat Lecture
October 25, 2022 | 6:00 – 7:00 pm ET
Hybrid event taking place at the UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law in Concord and via Zoom.
View the recording here.
Featuring:
Maggie Goodlander, Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice
Laura Knoy, former host of The Exchange, New Hampshire Public Radio
Join us for a William W. Treat lecture with Margaret (Maggie) Goodlander, Counsel to the Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, in conversation with Laura Knoy on Renewing Trust in Democracy: Equal Access to Justice.
Presenter Biographies

Maggie Goodlander currently serves as Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice where she oversees the international, appellate, and policy work of the Antitrust Division. Prior to her appointment by President Biden, Maggie served as Counselor to Attorney General Merrick Garland and advised the Attorney General on a wide range of legal, policy, and management matters, including antitrust enforcement, consumer protection, and the development and execution of the Justice Department’s $35.3 billion budget. In addition, she helped launch two new components within the Justice Department: the Office for Access to Justice and the Office for Environmental Justice.
Before joining the Department of Justice in January 2021, Maggie taught constitutional law and administrative law at the University of New Hampshire School of Law. Over the past decade, she has worked in each branch of the United States government and in both houses of Congress, including as a law clerk to both U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and then-Chief Judge Merrick Garland of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit; as counsel to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee; as a senior advisor to U.S. Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman; and as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve. Born and raised in Nashua, New Hampshire, Maggie is a graduate of Yale College and Yale Law School.

Laura Knoy is a public radio journalist widely known andrespected in her home state of New Hampshire for her
in-depth coverage of important issues, probing interviews of newsmakers, and the ability to makeeveryguest welcome and every news topic accessible to a wide audience. For 25 years, Laura hosted statewide conversations on The Exchange, New Hampshire’s only daily radio call-in talk show. In June 2021, she stepped away from the host’s chair to pursue other interests, finish her first novel, and spend more time with family.
Laura is highly regarded for her interviews with presidential hopefuls and newsmakers across the political spectrum. Throughout her career in journalism, she’s held discussions with local officials in small towns and cities, regular conversations with New Hampshire’s Congressional delegation and governor, and interacted with hundreds of state lawmakers. She’s hosted Congressional debates, town halls, and candidates’ forums at NHPR and throughout the Granite State. Along with her trusted production team on The Exchange, Laura also steered multi-day, in-depth coverage on topics ranging from mental health and the opioid crisis to enjoying New Hampshire’s beautiful natural environment.
In her free time, Laura’s likely to be in the woods, by a lake, biking or reading a book.
This William W. Treat Lecture is presented in partnership with the The Warren B. Rudman Center at the UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law.

The William W. Treat Lecture Series is made possible with support from New Hampshire Humanities, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities. Learn more at www.nhhumanities.org.
Tue, Oct 25, 2022 6:00pm – 7:00pm
Contact: Heather MacNeill – heather.macneill@nhcivics.org
Max Registrations: 140

Revitalizing Democracy at Home and Abroad
2022-09-14 18:00 - 19:00
A William W. Treat Lecture
Free Virtual Event

Registration is now open for Revitalizing Democracy at Home and Abroad, a William W. Treat Lecture Series event! This free and virtual event will feature Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), Jake Sullivan, and will provide attendees with key insights into the relationship between a strong democracy at home and around the world, as well as the importance of partnering with democratic allies to combat shared challenges.

View the recording of the event here.

NH’s Kid Governor Bootcamp
2022-08-16
NH’s Kid Governor Bootcamp for grade 5 teachers and media specialists. Registration is now open. This program offers a $100 stipend for participation in this award-winning, learning standards-aligned program!
The bootcamp will run in a hybrid format.
Teachers are invited to join:
1) In-person at the NH Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College
or
2) Virtually over Zoom.
This will be a collaborative meeting to ask questions and share ideas. We hope you’ll join us!
Reigster by August 8th.
For those who are not ready to fully commit the the NH’s Kid Governor Program, you are still welcome to join us for the Bootcamp to learn more! To do so -please contact, NH’s Kid Governor Coordinator, Luane Genest, Luane.Genest@NH.KidGovernor.org.
Mon, Aug 15, 2022 10:00am – 12:00pm
Contact: Amanda Pawlik – amanda.pawlik@nhcivics.org
Register Here

Cartoon Civics: PD for Grades 7-12
2022-08-03
Max Registrations: 60

Register Here

Presented in partnership with the History & Social Studies Education Program and the Political Science Program at Plymouth State University.
Wednesday, August 3, 2022, from 9:00 am -3:00 pm
Register by July 19, 2022.
Plymouth State University
This free professional development workshop will guide middle and high school teachers through how to use comics and cartooning to engage students with complex topics. The workshop will be co-taught by Marek Bennett, recipient of the Governor’s Arts Award for Arts Education, and James Sturm of the Center for Cartoon Studies, co-author ofThis Is What Democracy Looks Like, A Graphic Guide To Governance.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
5 PD hours for day only participation.
10 PD hours and $75 stipend for full participation (day participation, follow up in your classroom, submitted lesson and reflection submitted to NH Civics by Jan. 31, 2023).
Register by July 19, 2022.
In-Person at Plymouth State University

This program is supported in part through New Hampshire Humanities and the Mellon Foundation.

Presenter Bios
Marek Bennett:

NH-based cartoonist, musician, and educator Marek Bennett leads discovery-based Comics Workshops for all ages throughout New England and the world beyond! His comics work includes the graphic novel series, The Civil War Diary of Freeman Colby, as well as drawing, translating, & editing for The Most Costly Journey (2021) with the bilingual El Viaje Project. His crowd-funded cartoon travel memoirs include Sharjah Sketchbook (2020) and SLOVAKIA: Fall in the Heart of Europe (2013).
He plays Civil War folk music with The Hardtacks and “hot gonzo primitive folk jive” with The Cold River Ranters.
Marek is the recipient of the 2021 New Hampshire Governor’s Arts Award for Art Education.
His website is: www.MarekBennett.com

James Sturm:
James Sturm is a cartoonist and the cofounder of The Center for Cartoon Studies. He is the editor of CCS’s graphic guide series and his writings and illustrations have appeared in publications that include The Chronicle of Higher Education, Slate, The Paris Review, The Onion, The New York Times and on the cover of The New Yorker. James was a 2020-21 Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellow and a 2008 and 2015 MacDowell Colony Fellow.
Register by July 19, 2022.
Wed, Aug 3, 2022 9:00am – 3:00pm

Max Registrations: 60
Register Here

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Lights, Camera, Civics! What the Constitution Means to Me
2022-06-21 19:00 - 21:30
Max Registrations: 100
Register Here
Film Viewing and Discussion with Nick Capodice and Hannah McCarthy of Civics 101
Free Event
June 21 from 7:00 -9:30 pm
Red River Theatres, Concord, NH

Join NH Civics for a viewing of Heidi Schrek’s What the Constitution Means to Me followed by a post-viewing discussion led by Nick Capodice and Hannah McCarthy of Civics 101.

“Fifteen year old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the United States. In this hilarious, hopeful and achingly human new play, she resurrects her teenage self in order to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives.”

This program is supported in part through New Hampshire Humanities and the Mellon Foundation.

Presenter Bios
Nick Capodice

Nick has been the co-host and Education Outreach Producer for Civics 101 since 2018, where he creates episodes and works with teachers across the country to design lesson plans to pair with the show. He has presented to schools across the country on how to make podcasts in the classroom.

Before that he worked in the Education Department at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, focusing on content creation and storytelling in a digital age. In his spare time he picks apples and plays country harmonica, board games and trivia.

Hannah McCarthy
Hannah has been co-host of Civics 101 since 2018. Prior to that she worked as a producer and reporter at New Hampshire Public Radio, concentrating on goings on at the State House and understanding the primer-level basics of New Hampshire’s state government.

Prior to her career at NHPR, Hannah worked as a reporter and actor in Brooklyn, NY. In another life she would’ve spent her days studying analytic philosophy and manages to sneak it into a Civics 101 episode whenever possible.
Tue, Jun 21, 2022 7:00pm – 9:30pm
Contact: Amanda Pawlik – amanda.pawlik@nhcivics.org

Max Registrations: 100
Register Here

2022-06-10
Max Registrations: 60
Register Here
Wednesday, August 10, from 9:00 am -3:00 pm
Register by July 25, 2022.
In-Person at Keene State College

Join Paula McAvoy, co-author of The Political Classroom and Mary Ellen Daneels, Director of the Illinois Civics Hub and Illinois Democracy School Network, for a full-day, in-person workshop focused on structuring respectful conversations in the classroom, giving students the skills to hear and consider both sides of a topic.
**The first 10 people to register and attend will receive a free copy of Making Classroom Discussions Work (a $38 dollar value.) Both Daneels and McAvoy have articles within this book, edited by Jane Lo.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
5 PD hours for day only participation.
10 PD hours and $75 stipend for full participation (day participation, follow up in your classroom, submitted lesson and reflection submitted to NH Civics by Jan. 31, 2023).
Register by July 25, 2022.
In-Person at Keene State College

This project was made possible with support from New Hampshire Humanities, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Mellon Foundation. Learn more at www.nhhumanities.org.
Presenter Bios
Paula McAvoy

Paula McAvoy earned her PhD in philosophy of education in 2010 at UW-Madison’s Department of Educational Policy Studies. Since then, she has worked as an assistant professor at Illinois State, an associate program officer at the Spencer Foundation and as the Director of the Center for Ethics and Education at UW-Madison. Prior to this, she taught high school social studies for 10 years at the Foothill Middle College Program in Los Altos, California.

Mary Ellen Daneels

Mary Ellen Daneels is a National Board Certified teacher who taught at West Chicago Community High School for 27 years. She serves as the Director of the Illinois Civics Hub and Illinois Democracy School Network, leading efforts to support the implementation of the middle and high school civics course requirements and Illinois social science standards.
She has been recognized as the Law-related Educator of the Year from the Constitutional Rights Foundation of Chicago, Teacher of the Year by the 19th District of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and American Civic Education Teacher from the Center for Civic Education and the Illinois Education Association Teacher of the Year. Mary Ellen has presented on the proven practices of civic learning throughout the nation. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and highlighted in numerous publications such as Education Week, Social Education,and Educational Leadership.
Mary Ellen has advocated for civic education before federal and state lawmakers. She served on the Board of Directors for the National Council of the Social Studies and worked on both the Steering Committee and Pedagogy Committee for the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap.
Register by July 25, 2022.
Wed, Aug 10, 2022 9:00am – 3:00pm
Contact: Amanda Pawlik – amanda.pawlik@nhcivics.org

Max Registrations: 60
Register Here

2022 Project Soapbox NH Showcase Mainstage
2022-05-12 16:30 - 18:30
Throughout the fall and winter, middle and high school students across New Hampshire have been crafting their best Soapbox speeches about issues important to them and their communities.

We encourage you to watch and engage with these powerful videos, and share your support in the comments!
Project Soapbox is a public speaking opportunity
that calls on young people to develop and deliver
an original speech on an issue that matters to
them. Students’ speeches answer the question:
“What is the biggest issue facing your
community, and what should be done about it?”
Contact: Amanda Pawlik – amanda.pawlik@nhcivics.org

Kids Against Climate Change Poster Contest
2022-04-15 - 2022-05-03
A Poster Contest to Bring Awareness to the Climate Crisis
For NH 5th Grade Students

Climate change is a big deal, it affects everyone and everything on Earth. Today there are things you can do to make a change in our lives. Charlotte Cotti, the kid governor of NH and the kid executive council members have a challenge for you: Can you make a poster which shows things you can do to help reduce climate change?
Contest runs from April 15-May 3, 2022.
Contact: Amanda Pawlik – amanda.pawlik@nhcivics.org

Renewing Trust in Democracy: The Role of the News Media
2022-02-10 18:30 - 20:00
Featuring:
Cecilia Kang, The New York Times
Joe McQuaid, New Hampshire Union Leader
Melanie Plenda, Granite State News Collaborative
Moderated by Anna Brown, Citizens Count
What is the role of the news media in a democracy? In light of new technologies, how can it continue to evolve to serve its essential function of informing “we the people”, thereby restoring trust among voters? Is the traditional news media something we need to preserve, or do we need a completely new model? What role does media literacy and civics education have to play? Join Cecilia Kang of The New York Times, Joe McQuaid of New Hampshire Union Leader, and Melanie Plenda of Granite State News Collaborative in this nonpartisan conversation.

Presenter Biographies:
Cecilia Kang

Cecilia Kang covers technology and regulation and joined The New York Times in 2015. She is the co-author, along with Sheera Frenkel of The Times, of “An Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination.”
Previously she was the senior technology correspondent for The Washington Post and was a staff writer at The San Jose Mercury News and Dow Jones. She is a 2018 recipient of the George Polk and Gerald Loeb Awards along with her Times colleagues for coverage of Facebook.
Joe McQuaid

Currently editor at large for the Union Leader, McQuaid is former publisher, editor-in-chief, and reporter for New Hampshire’s statewide daily and Sunday newspaper. A published author, he is President of the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications in Manchester.
Melanie Plenda

Melanie Plenda is the director of The Granite State News Collaborative, a collective of more than 20 local media, educational and community organizations across the state of New Hampshire. Melanie has more than 20 years of journalism experience. Her work has been published by the Associated Press, The Atlantic, The New Republic and numerous local and regional publications.

Anna Brown, Moderator

Anna is the Director of Research and Analysis for Citizens Count, a nonprofit dedicated to providing unbiased information about New Hampshire policy issues and candidates. She has been with the organization since 2011. Anna is a regular contributor to NHPR, Good Morning NH, and other Granite State media outlets. She received her master’s degree in justice studies from the University of New Hampshire.

This William W. Treat Lecture is presented in partnership with the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications and The Warren B. Rudman Center at the UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law.
Additional partnership provided by Citizens Count, the NH Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College, and the NH Supreme Court Society.

The William W. Treat Lecture Series is made possible with support from New Hampshire Humanities, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities. Learn more at www.nhhumanities.org.
Contact: Amanda Pawlik – amanda.pawlik@nhcivics.org

A User's Guide to Democracy
2022-01-26
With Nick Capodice and Hannah McCarthy of the Civics 101 Podcast
Wednesday, January 26th, 2022
3:30-5:00 pm via Zoom
Free Professional Development for teachers grades 7-12

Join Hannah McCarthy and Nick Capodice of New Hampshire Public Radio’s Civics 101 Podcast as they unveil their new book, A User’s Guide to Democracy, and share how teachers can use it in the classroom. They will be joined by teachers Liz Melahn and Heather Monson, who will present on how their classes created their own user’s guides to democracy.

The first 25 teachers to register and participate fully in this PD (attend webinar and commit to creating and testing a follow up lesson) will receive a free copy of A User’s Guide to Democracy. *** Register soon to take advantage of this offer -we have only a few spots left!***

1.5 professional development hours available for attending this training with 8 hours, $75 stipend, and free copy of A User’s Guide to Democracy (available to first 25 who register) offered for full participation —pre-reading if assigned, participation in webinar, follow up lesson tested in your classroom and submitted to NH Civics by July 1, 2022.

Presenter Biographies

Nick Capodice
Nick has been the co-host and Education Outreach Producer for Civics 101 since 2018, where he creates episodes and works with teachers across the country to design lesson plans to pair with the show. He has presented to schools across the country on how to make podcasts in the classroom.

Before that he worked in the Education Department at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, focusing on content creation and storytelling in a digital age. In his spare time he picks apples and plays country harmonica, board games and trivia.

Hannah McCarthy
Hannah has been co-host of Civics 101 since 2018. Prior to that she worked as a producer and reporter at New Hampshire Public Radio, concentrating on goings on at the State House and understanding the primer-level basics of New Hampshire’s state government.

Prior to her career at NHPR, Hannah worked as a reporter and actor in Brooklyn, NY. In another life she would’ve spent her days studying analytic philosophy and manages to sneak it into a Civics 101 episode whenever possible.

Liz Melahn
Learning has always been (and will continue to be!) a vital part of Liz’ life; she began to fall in love with the study of history and government at a young age. Liz earned a BA in History from Colorado State University and has been teaching social studies at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School in Fort Collins,CO since 2010. In May of 2020, Liz completed her MA in American History through the Gilder Lehrman program at Pace University. At Polaris, she teaches US History and American Government each year along with various rotating additional social studies courses including We the People, World Geography, American Sports History, National Parks.

Liz believes that the classroom should be a safe and welcoming place for students to ask questions and seek answers, collaborate with teachers and peers, practice unconventional and imaginative thinking, grow as citizens and leaders, and develop meaningful analytical and communication skills that will serve them for the rest of their life. Her favorite part about teaching is seeing students light up when they understand concepts, make connections, develop new lines of inquiry, create work they are proud of, and discover their own love of learning. When not in the classroom, Liz can most likely be found at the ballpark cheering on the Rockies, traversing trails on her mountain bike, protecting her garden from Colorado’s ever-changing weather, exploring the world, or spending time with her partner, Scott and their dog, Chauncey.

William W. Treat Lecture Series 4: A Conversation with General James Mattis: What is the Role of the Military in a Democracy?
2021-12-21
FREE Event for the General Public
Thursday, December 2, 1-2:30 pm ET
What is the role of the military in a democracy? What does it mean when an officer takes the Oath to preserve, protect, support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign or domestic?
Join former Secretary of Defense, General James Mattis , retired War College professor Dr. Janet Breslin-Smith , military veterans, NH ROTC candidates, and high school youth in this civil and nonpartisan conversation.

This William W. Treat Lecture is presented in partnership with:
The Warren B. Rudman Center at the
UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law and New Hampshire PBS.

With additional partnership from the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College, Citizens Count, and the New Hampshire Supreme Court Society

The William W. Treat Lecture Series is made possible with support from the New Hampshire Humanities , in partnership wit h the National Endowment for the Humanities. Learn more at www.nhhumanities.org .

The Treat Lecture Series honors Judge Treat’s legacy of bridging political and other divides to improve discussions central to democratic society.

Presenter Biographies

Dr. Janet Breslin-Smith
Dr. Janet Breslin-Smith draws on her 40-year career in public service at the local, national, and international arenas. Over her career she had leadership roles in the United States Senate, the National War College, and in Saudi Arabia.
She has written and lectured on the Constitution, legislative strategy, strategy and culture, democracy and governance, and military family issues. Her article, “The Struggle to Erase Saudi Extremism” appeared in November 2015 in the New York Times . She is the co-author of The National War College: A History of Strategic Thinking in Peace and War. She was featured in a recent article on friendship and political difference in the Christian Science Monitor.
Dr. Breslin-Smith, a Professor of National Security Strategy for 14 years at the National War College in Washington, DC, was the first woman to Chair the Department of National Security Strategy. Prior to her academic career, she served for over 17 years in the United State Senate. She was Legislative Director for Senator Patrick J. Leahy and Deputy Staff Director of the Senate Agriculture Committee.
Dr. Breslin-Smith is the Historian of the National War College, and Member of the Board of the National War College Alumni Association. She is currently working on the Commemoration of the College’s 75th Anniversary.

General James Mattis
Jim Mattis was raised in Southeastern Washington and graduated from Central Washington State College.
He served over 40 years in the Marine Corps as an infantry officer, plus duty in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, as NATO Supreme Allied Commander, and as Commander of U.S. Central Command comprised of 250,000 U.S. and allied troops in combat across the Middle East and South Asia.
Retiring in 2013, he was a Davies Family Scholar at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution.
Subsequently he served as the 26th Secretary of Defense from January 2017 through December 2018.
Contact: Amanda Pawlik – amanda.pawlik@nhcivics.org
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