Meet the People: Joseph Juliano

Southwest Career and Technical Academy We The People Teacher, Joseph Juliano, shares his background in history education and his passion for sharing the importance of civic engagement with his students.

“Civic engagement is acting on the idea that citizenship requires awareness and involvement in the community.”

Joe Juliano, We the People Teacher

Civic engagement is acting on the idea that citizenship requires awareness and involvement in the community.”

Joseph is a native New Yorker who grew up in Westchester County. He attended the State University of New York at Cortland and earned his undergraduate degree in history and secondary education. After teaching literacy in the Bronx for a year, Joseph moved to Las Vegas and started his career as a high school Social Studies teacher. During this time, he earned a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Touro University in Henderson, NV. In 2006, Joseph began teaching courses for the Leadership and Law Preparatory Academy at Canyon Springs High School. He first became involved in We The People: The Citizen and the Constitution as an assistant coach for Dr. Lou Grillo at Canyon Springs. After seven great years at Canyon Springs, Joseph moved to Southwest Career and Technical Academy in 2013 where he started a We The People team in 2015 and continues to build the program each year.

Q & A with Joseph Juliano

What brought you to NVCCE?

As a We The People teacher, I am interested in participating in the programs and trainings through NVCCE. This involvement has enriched my knowledge and understanding of government and law.

What do you love most about the work you do with our civic engagement programs?

I love seeing the impact that We The People has on my students. It is the most rewarding part of teaching Social Studies. Not only do students develop speaking and writing skills, they truly change their attitudes about civic virtue and develop a deep commitment to citizenship.

What is your vision of NVCCE in the future?

Continuing to provide opportunities for engagement for teachers and students. Honestly, I think it would be cool to gear programs towards adults. One thing I have realized over the last year is that many Americans lack an understanding of civics and I think many adults need a refresher on the importance of civic engagement.