Citizenship Traits

These messages describe what it means to be a citizen, in ways not normally considered.

    • A Vision of Good Government

      The City Council was proud of its new building and wanted to make it a symbol that the citizens of the city would be proud of. They commissioned a local artist to do murals in the main chambers where the council held its meetings (see below). The murals would be...

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    • Value Shaping Events

      In 1919, the City of Omaha, Nebraska had one of the nation’s worst racial incidents. Major meat packing plants in Omaha had hired African Americans as strike breakers. This caused a tense racial climate. The incident that sparked a riot was when an African American...

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    • Gratitude

      Marie Roncone was the first in her family to go to college. She and her family had immigrated to the USA from Italy. She was brought up to be thankful for the good things that were a part of her life each day. She kept a gratitude journal and at the end of each day...

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    • Our Greater Purpose

      Frank Shankwitz had a very difficult childhood. Abandoned by his mother when he was two years old, he lived with his grandparents and only saw his father on the weekends. His mother returned when he was five and kidnapped him. They eventually ended up in Arizona. ...

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    • Accountability

      Harry was a first-grade teacher in a very rural county in one of the poorest areas of the country. His students were 100% qualified for free lunch and breakfasts. Very few of the parents of his students had completed high school. In fact, very few of the parents...

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