| Program: | North Carolina Students Teach and Reach Program, Raleigh, NC | | Contact(s): | Arlene Wouters: (919) 832-2700 | | Purpose: | To train college students to facilitate discussions on race in North Carolina secondary schools | | Background The North Carolina Students Teach and Reach Program (NC STAR) was founded in 1989 by the People for the American Way in North Carolina. It began in 1990 as a part of a program to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Greensboro sit-in protests. In the program, college volunteers are trained to lead discussions in North Carolina's secondary schools on issues such as liberty, citizenship and race. Program Operations
College volunteers are recruited and trained to develop facilitation, mediation and consensus-building skills. The curriculum presented to the secondary school students introduces the history of the civil rights movement and the language of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution to provide a context in which the thoughts and feelings about race relations and discrimination can be discussed. Students then engage in activities such as sharing their own personal experiences on race. NC STAR has published a manual and curriculum materials so that other states can replicate the program. The program also includes evaluations for teachers, students and volunteers to complete. Outcomes and Significant Accomplishments To date, NC STAR has trained over 2,500 volunteers from 25 colleges and universities, and approximately 50,000 secondary school students from 13 regions have participated. The program has already been replicated in California, Washington and New Jersey schools. | 
