June 24, 2026 Submitted By Community Editor Erin Elefante
Hingham Middle School eighth graders gathered on June 18th to present their work at the school’s fourth annual Civics Showcase, sharing months of research and advocacy with parents, teachers, and community supporters.
Each year, students select an issue that matters to them and their community, research the topic, develop strategies for change, create an action plan, and advocate for their cause. The showcase provides an opportunity for students to share what they have learned through student-led presentations and exhibits. Throughout the event, students greeted guests, guided visitors to their seats, presented their projects on stage, and discussed their research displays with confidence, professionalism, and enthusiasm.
The civics initiative was developed in response to updated curriculum guidelines given by the Massachusetts Department of Education in 2018, after the legislature passed Act to Promote and Enhance Civic Engagement. The idea is to have students conduct self-selected and self-driven civics projects to foster a sense of community engagement.
Hingham Public Schools developed framework to keep a civics minded continuity to their programs, such as the 3rd grade Mock Town Hall Meeting, the 8th grade Civics Showcase, and a focus on global issues with a project in 10th grade.
Each of the 14 social studies classes chose an issue and divided into groups, where they took on different aspects of the project. Issues tackled this year included creating a Flex Block at HPS to allow students time to get extra help, take a break, or focus on certain interests; increasing Hingham Voter turnout; responsible underbrush and fire prevention management; improving public transportation around HIngham; raising awareness of Hingham Veterans Services; and creating a shared HMS calendar to avoid test overload.
One topic generating a lot of buzz was a proposal to raise jury duty compensation to $120 per day to meet minimum wage. This unique initiative came about after their teacher, Mr. Richard Florence, served on jury duty for a criminal trial and shared his experience with the class. Upon learning that after three days of the state paying an amount commensurate to your regular wages, the payment drops to just $50 per day, the students were appalled and decided to take action.
Andy Hoey, HPS Director of K-12 Social Studies, shared that the students have been extremely engaged with the project, and three groups even volunteered to share their projects in the state-wide civics fair at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute, where they presented their findings with community judges. He has noticed an evolution in the project, noting that “each year the projects get more serious and conscientious.”
Hoey says the most exciting part for him is getting kids thinking about civics at a young age and understanding that they do have agency. “We’ve been trying to build touchpoints for civic engagement from the time the students are little and get them excited and thinking about being part of a community, and that it doesn’t matter how old you are; you do have a voice as a citizen.” This project gives students the chance to learn the process of advocacy, and that whether it’s something small in your backyard, or at the town, state, national, or even global level, there are things you can do.
As the students get into high school, they will expand to learning at a global level. This year 10th graders are contacting ambassadors in foreign countries, sending letters to the Secretary of State, US Senators, and organizations that provide aid and medicine in Africa. “Global citizenship is another touchstone of the Hingham Schools mission,” says Hoey.
Special guest speakers, some of whom served as experts for the students, included Senator Patrick O’Connor, State Representative Joan Meschino, Select Board Chairman Liz Klein, and School Committee Chair Jen Benham, who all shared words of inspiration with the students and encouraged them to continue their advocacy. Superintendent Katie Roberts and Assistant Superintendent Katie Pollard also attended the event to support the students.
Recent Hingham High School graduate Anna Post was invited by Hoey to share her views on community engagement with the students. Post, a HHS basketball player, has volunteered her time coaching a youth GALS basketball team in town, and got involved through HHS with the Cohasset Center for Student Coastal Research Center, which influenced her to pursue an environmental studies major when she attends Brown University this Fall. Post left the 8th graders with these inspiring words, “You can alone can do incredible things. We are the future leaders of this nation, and the time is now to start to change the world.”
Following the program, students broke into small groups to share their research and answered questions about the issues at hand. As families and community leaders circulated through the HMS gymnasium, students and knowledgeably explained proposals aimed at improving their schools, town, and state.
An impressive day seeing Hingham students shine, and in the words of Senator Patrick O’Connor, “No community in this state has done civics education better than Hingham, MA.”