Civil Rights Scholars Program

Civil Rights Scholars

Facilitated by the Office of Student Protections and Title IX Training Team, the Civil Rights Scholars consist of high school students from across the district with an opportunity to expand their leadership capabilities, build community across the District, and shape Chicago Public Schools' response to bias-based harm.

Program Details

There are two signature programs for Civil Rights Scholars facilitated by the Office of Student Protections and Title IX.

Civil Rights Scholars Program (CRSP)

Taking place over the summer, a group of 20 rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors take part in a 3-week summer program focusing on civil rights through a social justice lens.

Throughout the program, students will:

Develop skills for promoting social justice by engaging in both independent and collaborative processing activities (civil discourse, self-reflection, hold multiple truths at once).
Broaden their understanding of civil rights and how our identities intersect through experiential learning opportunities across Chicago.
Build community with peers across Chicago by engaging in practice of storytelling, relating the content to their own lives and experiences.
Identify personal values, passions and aspirations through these experiences that expand their understanding of themselves as an individual, Chicagoan, and global citizen.

Download the Flyer

Take a listen to the podcast!

Tune into the first episode of the Civil Rights Scholars Advisory Council Podcast, featuring Michii, Irene, Jalyn, and Rahael Anne. In this episode, Scholars share their reflections on the impact of the Civil Rights Scholars Program and what identity means to them.

Episode 1: Identity

After listening, think about the following questions:

What does “Identity” mean to you?
How would you describe your own identity?
How has society shaped your identity and how you see yourself?

Civil Rights Scholars Advisory Council (CRSAC)

Selected from previous Scholars that have participated in the Civil Rights Scholars Program, the Advisory Council is a group of students that have demonstrated a commitment to civil rights and desire to continue their learning.

To expand on the skills and knowledge gained as a Scholar, the Civil Rights Scholar Advisory Council will work together to educate, advocate, and engage students across the district through a student-produced podcast. Students will dive deeper into Identity, Diversity, Justice, and Action through storytelling, developing skills in public speaking, research, and community building.

Qualifications to be a Civil Rights Scholar

Eligible students must meet the following qualifications to be a Civil Rights Scholar:

Be a rising sophomore, junior, or senior enrolled at a CPS high school (district, managed, charter, options, or contract)
Curious about the diverse communities throughout Chicago
Have a desire to make meaningful change in their community
Interested in learning about equity, inclusivity, belonging, and public policy
Thrives on a mix of collaboration and independent work
Timely and communicative with others

Tentative Schedule

The Civil Rights Scholars Program is a three-week program, July 7th to July 24th between 9AM and 1PM. Sessions take place between Monday and Thursday.

Students that are selected for the Advisory Council commit for one school year.The Civil Rights Scholars Advisory Council meets twice a month throughout the school year, starting in October and ending in May. This is a hybrid program. One session per month is in person and the other is hosted virtually via Google Meet.