Kristen Fontaine has been named to the Local Advisory Board of Generation Citizen’s Mid-Atlantic Region, expanding her more than decade-long commitment to helping young people become active participants in their communities.
Generation Citizen is a national educational organization that partners with local schools to provide community-based action civics education. Through its curriculum, students identify an issue affecting their community, explore potential solutions, and take concrete steps to address it. Students then present their projects at the organization’s twice-yearly “Civics Day” events.
A Commitment That Began in the Classroom
Fontaine first became involved with Generation Citizen in 2015, when the organization worked with college students serving as “democracy coaches” in local classrooms. She founded a Generation Citizen chapter at her college and taught the organization’s curriculum at Brockton High School in Massachusetts, helping students develop and carry out community action projects.
As Generation Citizen transitioned to a teacher-led model, Fontaine continued supporting its mission as a volunteer community advisor. In that role, she has evaluated student projects at Civics Day events in both Boston and New York City.
Her involvement has given her opportunities to support students as they connect classroom learning with issues that matter to them and their communities.
Supporting the Next Generation of Civic Leaders
Fontaine’s appointment to the Mid-Atlantic Local Advisory Board, beginning with the current school year, provides a new opportunity to support an organization whose mission has remained important to her since college.
Through this role, she will continue her longstanding commitment to action civics education and to helping young people recognize their ability to make a difference in their communities.