Q. What is the Constitutional Rights Foundation National Teach-In?
The Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF) and the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago (CRFC) will sponsor the Second Annual National Teach-In for at up to 150 classes of middle and high school students in coordination with National Youth Service Day, April 15-17, 2005. The teach-in will focus on curricular units devoted to core American issues: security, liberty, justice, and equality.

Q. Who is the Constitutional Rights Foundation?
The Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF) and the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago (CRFC) are non-profit, non-partisan organizations dedicated to educating America's young people about the importance of civic participation in a democratic society. CRF and CRFC are national leaders in the design and implementation of quality law-related education (LRE) programs for elementary and secondary school students and their teachers, and they are partners in Youth for Justice. CRF was established in 1962 and is based in Los Angeles, California. CRFC was founded in 1974 in Chicago, Illinois as part of CRF and established itself as an independent 501(c)(3) organization in 1990.

Q. What is National Youth Service Day?
National Youth Service Day is the largest service event in the world, engaging millions of young Americans and focusing national attention on the amazing leadership of young people. Now in its 17th year, National Youth Service Day aims to: mobilize youth as leaders to identify and address the needs of your communities through service; support youth on lifelong path of service and civic engagement; and educate the public, the media and policymakers about the year-round contributions of young people as community leaders. National Youth Service Day is a program of Youth Service America, with the National Youth Leadership Council and PARADE Magazine. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) of the U.S. Department of Justice is a national supporter.

Q. What is Youth for Justice?
Youth for Justice is the national coordinated law-related education program supported by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the United States Department of Justice and is a collaboration of the American Bar Association, the Center for Civic Education, the Constitutional Rights Foundation, the Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity, and Street Law, Inc. Youth for Justice provides national leadership for sustainable, high quality LRE programs for at-risk youth and their communities in cooperation with its national network of State LRE Centers.

Q. How do my students participate?
The Constitutional Rights Foundation will post eight lessons-two each devoted to liberty, security, justice, and equality-for use by registered classes. Participating students agree to teach an issue using these lessons to at least one class of peers and/or younger students as part of National Youth Service Day. Classes also agree to write about their experiences to their Representatives and/or Senators in Congress and file a written report to CRF.

Q. What resources will my class receive?
CRF will award a mini-grant of $150 to the first 150 classes nationwide that register. Participating classes also will be listed on the National Teach-In web site [www.crfc.org/yfjteach-in2005.html], along with selected reports.