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HOW TO SET UP A CIVICS 101 PROGRAM
Mary Klenz, President, LWV Charlotte-Mecklenburg

Civics 101 - A Venture Into Local Politics, looks at four local government bodies: county commissioners, city council, school board, and the courts. LWVCM had to do Civics 101 three times before it worked, so don't worry about making mistakes when setting up your program!

• Look at local needs and resources.
• Get information from local government sources. Sometimes they will give you photocopies for your group.
• Get historical information about your town/county from a government office or from the visitors' center.
• Begin your Civics 101 course with just one or two segments, e.g. county commissioners, school board.
• Then add another segment next year.
• Tell civic groups and political parties what you're doing and enlist their support.
• Work with media from the beginning to get good publicity.
• Have one Civics 101 course per year. (LWVCM begins their program in January.) Have one meeting per month on the evening that the government entity has its public meeting.
• Prepare an "open note test" which will also be your agenda.
• Arrange to meet in or near the government building where the meeting is held.
• Divide Civics 101 session in three 45 minute parts, beginning at 6:30 p.m. and finishing at 8:45. Give an introductory talk in the first part, then go into the government meeting, and finally reassemble outside the meeting to discuss what has happened.
• Have a special session "People Meet the Press" after Civics 101 is over, with graduation exercise and presentation of certificates.