Engage
Power of Democracy Civic Engagement Initiative
Through the lens of equity and diversity, the "Power of Democracy: Civic Engagement Initiative" is a multi-sector coalition facilitated by the Santa Clara County Office of Education. The Initiative is designed to foster an understanding of the structures and processes of our democracy, share resources and best practices, encourage informed and multifaceted civic participation and build stronger communities. The Initiative is aligned to the CDE and the Education Commission of the States' "Six Proven Practices of Civic Engagement."Visit the Power of Democracy event site ...
Youth Voice: Stories of Hope and Healing
Photos of student artwork from SCCOE Alternative Education and the STEAM program at Stipe Elementary and their participation in the Day of Racial Healing event.View Photos slideshow...
National History Day (NHD)
NHD is an exciting educational opportunity that encourages students to explore local, state, national, and world history.
After selecting a historical topic that relates to an annual theme, students conduct extensive research by using libraries, archives, museums, and oral history interviews. They analyze and interpret their findings, draw conclusions about their topics’ significance in history, and create final projects that present their work. These projects can be entered into a series of competitions, from the local to the national level, where they are evaluated by professional historians and educators. Specifically, National History Day – California is one of the largest state History Day competitions, takes place in 34 counties and reaches some 44,000 students each year, culminating in an annual state wide contest with nearly 1,000 participants. National History Day – California provides an enhanced History Day program, including the elementary student 2-dimensional poster display category. The elementary addition, while not a National qualifier, makes California's National History Day contest open to students in grades 4 through 12.
Mock Trial
Welcome to the Santa Clara County State High School Mock Trial Program!
The Santa Clara County Office of Education and the Santa Clara County Bar Association are proud to provide a unique opportunity for high school students to learn what it is like to prepare and present a legal case before the court.
How does High School Mock Trial work? Teams of nine to twenty five students study a hypothetical case that is provided by the Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF). Teams conduct legal research and receive individual coaching by their school coach and a volunteer attorney in trial preparation, courtroom protocol, courtroom procedure, analysis and communication. Preparation begins in the fall and culminates for the County competition in February. The winning team represents Santa Clara County at the state competition. Students who participate in Mock Trial engage in authentic learning experiences that lead to essential life skills, including, but not limited to:
- the importance of team work and collaboration
- oral presentation skills
- goal setting
- planning
- productive argument or persuasion skills
- critical thinking skills
- the ability to face challenging obstacles with enthusiasm, professionalism and confidence