Founding the Nevada Center for Civic Engagement 

The Nevada Center for Civic Engagement (NVCCE) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and supporting the study of law, civics, and history; its mission is to enable Nevada Citizens to understand and work within the democratic principles governing our nation. With assistance from dedicated supporters, the NVCCE has become a strong presence in schools throughout Nevada, where its programs and curriculum are significant assets in educating young people and preparing students to become active and effective participants in representative government. The NVCCE’s Inquiry and Community-Based Learning Programs include We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution (WTP), Project Citizen, National History Day in Nevada.

Initially, these programs were funded by the U.S. Congress through the Center for Civic Education (CCE); however, in 2011, that funding ended. All government funding for the programs was eliminated, and the Center’s national and local programs were threatened. That year, The State Bar of Nevada sponsored We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution throughout the state, with now-retired State Coordinator Kathleen Dickinson managing the programs. Though a great help, supporters of the WTP program knew this was only a stop-gap measure, and it wasn’t long before they began seeking a long-term solution to their funding problems. This turned out to be a necessary step. The State Bar began cutting its funding in 2012. In 2014, Attorney Marc Picker, Washoe County School District Social Studies Coordinator Angela Orr, Truckee Meadows Community College Dean Dr. Fred Lokken, and Public Policy Advocate Shane Piccinini began discussing possible options to ensure the future of WTP in Nevada. Ultimately, establishing the Nevada Center for Civic Engagement was the solution.

In 2016, supporters helped to organize the NVCCE as a Nevada non-profit corporation; it obtained 501(c)(3) status in July 2017 under founding president Marc Picker, treasurer Dr. Fred Lokken, Secretary Angela Orr, and board member Shane Piccinini. In the same year, NVCCE expanded its reach statewide, adding strong and influential supporters including University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) professor Dr. Michael Green (who became co-president with Marc Picker), College of Southern Nevada Professor Dr. Sondra Cosgrove, UNLV professor Dr. David Tanenhaus, former State Treasurer Robert Seale, former Nevada Assemblyman Lynn Stewart, Supreme Court Justice Elissa Cadish (a district judge at the time), District Judge Michael Montero and Andrew Mackay. Also, in 2017, with the assistance of District 2 Coordinator Will Hull and District 3 Coordinator Anthony Miller, the NVCCE significantly increased its online profile by creating a website and Facebook pages for both the organization and Nevada We the People. This virtual presence gave the organization greater visibility, and the NVCCE has continued to move forward with virtual WTP training sessions and competitions created by Program Director Christine Hull. Though the idea behind these virtual events was originally to cut the cost and inconvenience of travel, they ultimately allowed the NVCCE to thrive during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2019, NVCCE took over full responsibility for WTP and the other programs sponsored initially by the Center for Civic Education; it also took on the administration of Nevada’s National History Day program-- and finally solved its most pressing funding concerns. In March of that year, the NVCCE’s teachers, students, and advocates testified to the Nevada Legislature in favor of SB193, primarily sponsored by State Senator Joyce Woodhouse. SB193 provided the funding the NVCCE needed to operate We the People in Nevada. The bill carried 22 sponsors and passed unanimously in both houses of the Nevada Legislature. This provided a stable funding source that the organization’s founders had sought for over five years.

Visit our programs overview page for more information on the NVCCE’s programs and to find out how you can get involved.