John Gale Hun Program for Civics

Supported by a gift from Betty Wold Johnson, the John Gale Hun Program for Civics Education exposes all Hun students to the virtues of the American Republic with several all-school initiatives. We welcome government leaders and scholars to campus for all-school speeches and debates, including Congressman John Lewis and Dr. Sean Wilentz of Princeton University and Jeff Rosen of the National Constitution Center.

Through experiential activities on and off campus, students observe and interact with individuals at all levels of government, from local judges and mayors to congressmen and high-ranking officials.

Our tenth grade curriculum includes a visit the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, while eleventh grade students visit at least one real-world branch of local government. Examples have included the New Jersey State Supreme Court.

Watch a recap of John Gale Hun Civics Day 2019 below, or view a gallery of photos from the day, which also included a trip to see "Hamilton" in Philadelphia:

"A quality civics education makes students critical consumers of information, eager participants in their community, engaged citizens domestically and globally, and protectors of universal human rights."

Rory Hart, director of the john gale hun civics education program

But civics education at The Hun School doesn’t stop there:

Robust Student Government
Seminars on Community and Leadership

Robust Student Government

The Hun School student government is comprised of fifty-two student leaders. It includes twenty senators (four executive) and eight advisory representatives at each grade level. Six members of the student government are appointed to the judicial branch of our school and sit on the Discipline and Honor Committees. The leaders meet weekly and are led by a president and vice president. They research and draft bills that often have direct impact on the school culture, academic and co-curricular structures, and offerings. For example, successful bills have tackled such items as adding representatives to the Middle School delegation, dress code changes, etc.

Seminars on Community and Leadership

The Hun School places a strong emphasis on character education and community – it is a characteristic that distinguishes us from our peers. Our environment is not a competitive pressure cooker, but instead, is highly nurturing and supportive. We impart these characteristics through a shared community expectation, but also through Seminars 9 and 10. All 9th grade students take Seminar 9, which focuses on what it means to be part of a community. All 10th grade students take Seminar 10, which focuses on leadership skills.

Only At Hun

Civic Responsibility and Ethical Leadership Scholars Track