The class of 2016 is the first junior class of St. George’s Independent School to have two sections of Citizenship in hopes of broadening the reach of the values and goals of the Institute.

Currently, there are thirty-four students enrolled in the junior class of the Citizenship Institute, which is ten more students from the previous year with the Class of 2015.

“I was surprised that everyone got in,” said junior Alexis Margaritas, “but I do think it is a good idea to expand.”

Being apart of the program requires sophomores to write an essay and turn in an application to be evaluated by the board, which, in the past, would approve of about twenty students for the next school year.

“I’m glad we were all accepted because it is such a good group,” said current junior Sarah Buechner.

Upon the initiation of the Institute four years ago, the vision for the curriculum had been, according to the head and teacher of the Institute, Luther Mercer, one that would encompass more students and become integrated into the DNA of St. George’s itself. However, the program did not have the resources to do so at the time.

“We had always wanted to include more students, and this was an opportunity to expand,” said Mercer.

“We started with one class, and from there we wanted to build momentum and add resources as we could,” said School President William Taylor.

The school has been slowly adapting its curriculum to teach students the value of citizenship from a very early age, as evidenced in the citizenship councils and camps already established at both the Germantown and Memphis campuses for first through fifth graders.

“More people need to know the things we’ll learn,” said junior Will Patterson.

With lessons that cover local, national, and international issues, as well as lessons in ethics, the goal of Citizenship is to equip students to be more globally aware.

One issue that comes with adding another class full of students is the fact that Citizenship requires field trips, including local field trips as well as major trips such as the Carter Center and New York, during their senior year.

With thirty-four students, transportation, missing school, and field-trip location capacities, such as the Carter Center trip, are among the things that will have to be handled a little differently than in the past.

Additionally, Tom Morris, Upper School Director, has taken on the teaching position of the senior Globalization class to allow Mercer to teach both Citizenship sections.

“The administration is working on figuring out these changes,” said Taylor. However, he and Mercer both agree this was a natural opportunity for the program to continue to grow.