Connecticut Public Affairs Network Launches The Connecticut Democracy Center

CONNECTICUT PUBLIC AFFAIRS NETWORK LAUNCHES
THE CONNECTICUT DEMOCRACY CENTER

Lifetime pathway for civics education and engagement unfolds with new website

Hartford, Conn – Twenty-two years ago today, a small, newly-created nonprofit launched the Connecticut Network (CT-N) in partnership with the Connecticut General Assembly. At that time the newly-minted Connecticut Public Affairs Network – abbreviated CPAN in homage to C-SPAN – had a singular focus on broadening state government access and transparency. Over time, this dedicated group of television professionals expanded and evolved into aspiring civics teachers, giving birth to an idea that now comes to fruition with CPAN’s rechristening as The Connecticut Democracy Center (CTDC) and launching its new website, ctdemocracycenter.org.

“We set out to give people a better understanding of how state government works and what their role in it could be,” according to William Bevacqua, the Connecticut Democracy Center’s President & CEO. “But we discovered in a handful of years that we ourselves had more to learn, and ultimately more to teach about how people can work together to solve problems and build a better society, whether that’s in our neighborhoods or in government. The Connecticut Democracy Center’s mission now is to inspire people of all ages to engage in civic life and strengthen their communities.”

Along with the name change come refocused mission and vision statements as well as a new logo and a fresh new website, which operates as a portal to the organization’s programs and initiatives.

The focus of The Connecticut Democracy Center is to develop a “Lifetime Pathway” of civics education and citizen engagement: a family of programs designed for all ages, from entry-level civics and history education in elementary school through deeper explorations of civics and how to be an engaged citizen for adults. The CTDC’s continued partnerships on CT-N and the Old State House, combined with programs like Connecticut History Day and Kid Governor®, provide the first key steps along that pathway, with new programming slated for development in the future.

“History Day and Kid Governor help young people think like historians, act like problem solvers, and engage in their communities,” said Sally Whipple, Executive Director of The Connecticut Democracy Center at Connecticut’s Old State House. “New programming will bring these opportunities to more students and adults, building civic knowledge and skills across the state.”

The concept of the “Lifetime Pathway” has been years in the making. In August of 2008, CPAN began its second legislative partnership by assuming the program management of Connecticut’s Old State House in Hartford. The goal then was to expand its view of civics education to include a historical perspective, and to add more personalized, hands-on experiences for audiences than what CT-N could deliver over the internet or on TV. Adding historians and museum educators to a team of multimedia pros, and crafting programming that brought current events into focus using their historical antecedents quickly transformed the Old State House into the perfect intersection of history and civics. It was in this new, creative environment that the idea for The Connecticut Democracy Center began forming.

“We envision a society where everyone is empowered to participate in our democracy,” said Bevacqua. “Up to this point, we have worked toward that vision by creating or helping to create several well-known, successful programs that have inspired thousands of people of different ages and walks of life to be better informed and more civically engaged. Today, we want everyone to know that these programs connect, not just through our organization but by what they can help you achieve.”

Follow The Connecticut Democracy Center on Facebook and LinkedIn to be the first to know about new programming and how to get involved.

The Connecticut Democracy Center is the marketing name of Connecticut Public Affairs Network, Inc. 

The mission of The Connecticut Democracy Center is to inspire people of all ages to engage in civic life and strengthen their communities. We envision a society where everyone is empowered to participate in our democracy.  For more information, visit the Connecticut Democracy Center online at ctdemocracycenter.org.

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