Hand students a real budget and a ballot, and watch a campus transform. We sit down with Tara Bartlett (ASU), KaRa Lyn Thrasher, and Sabrina Estrada (Center for the Future of Arizona) to unpack how school participatory budgeting turns student voice into visible change—without adding noise or partisanship. From the first Arizona pilot to 80+ schools statewide, the story is clear: when students lead, engagement grows, trust deepens, and communities benefit.

We break down the complete PB cycle in plain language: forming an inclusive student steering committee, collecting ideas from the whole school, vetting costs and feasibility, building a transparent ballot, campaigning with civil discourse, and running a real vote day complete with booths and “I Voted” stickers. You’ll hear vivid examples—water bottle refill stations and AEDs that solved urgent needs, therapy dogs that scaled district-wide, and a Watho shade structure built with tribal partners—that showcase how culture shifts when young people drive decisions.

Beyond inspiring stories, we dig into outcomes you can measure. Using a CASP framework—civic knowledge, attitudes, skills, and practices—students report stronger public speaking, teamwork, project management, empathy, and confidence to act. We address common hurdles like educator time, funding myths, and adultism, and share practical solutions: integrate PB into coursework, set aside a budget slice, recruit “not the usual suspects,” and use bite-sized trainings and resource hubs to make facilitation easier.

Curious to bring PB to your district or classroom? Explore the toolkit, try the short training videos, and start with a student-led committee and a real line item. If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a review telling us what your students would put on the ballot.

Check it out: https://www.arizonafuture.org/programs/education-programs/school-participatory-budgeting-in-arizona/

The Arizona Constitution Project

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We explore how Mark Twain’s writing, not his public persona, teaches a demanding civic balance: democratic equality joined to a living culture of excellence. Through Huck Finn and Connecticut Yankee, we trace how humor, empathy, and imagination form judgment without sliding into cynicism.

• distinguishing Twain the persona from the unified teaching in the work
• equality, liberty and the cultivation of greatness in tension
• Connecticut Yankee as a parable of science, soul and trade-offs
• Huck and Jim’s shared fate and moral growth
• literature as civic education and imagination-building
• satire that critiques pretension while honoring the noble
• teaching Twain in class through short forms and humor
• America 250 as a moment to reread Twain
• patriotism as rededication, not reflex; moderation over hubris
• warnings against technocratic certainty and the loss of the human

Listeners, I will be putting a ton of links into the show notes to make sure that everything that we've talked about is available, as well as Dr. Dobski's books.

The Arizona Constitution Project

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Interested in a Master's Degree? Check out the School of Civic and Economic Leadership's Master's in Classical Liberal Education and Leadership

A crowded kindergarten room, a sudden crack in the ceiling, and a teacher who jumps first to shield her students—Laura Terech’s story starts with instinct and turns into impact. From art history to Title I classrooms, from a six‑year health battle to the Arizona State House, we explore how a winding path can still lead straight to the heart of public service.

We dig into the moment Arizona cut full‑day kindergarten funding and why early learning time isn’t “just babysitting” but the bedrock of literacy, social growth, and long‑term success. Laura walks us through the call that went unanswered, the decision to take the fight to the Capitol, and the long road back from illness that began with one small act: showing up to volunteer. That habit—care deeply, raise your hand often—opened doors to campaign work, nonprofit policy tracking, and ultimately a seat in a purple district where cooperation wasn’t a slogan but a mandate. You’ll hear how a teacher caucus prepared seven and a half hours for a 30‑minute debate, how bipartisan trust helped pass major policy on water and elections, and how the simple phrase “I hear your passion” can cool a midnight negotiation.

Now, as executive director of Arizona America 250, Laura brings that educator’s mindset to a statewide celebration of the nation’s semi‑quincentennial. We highlight a student town hall with all three branches of government, a traveling museum that will tour the Replica Liberty Bell through all 15 counties, and a pathway to the Seal of Civic Literacy for students. Plus, discover Passport 250—a partnership with the Arizona Office of Tourism featuring 250 sites across the state—and the powerful moment a 17‑year‑old’s winning logo design headed to the Smithsonian. Along the way, we talk about patriotism as something personal: how you show up for neighbors, define community broadly, and make room for everyone in the story.

If you believe small steps can spark big change, press play—and then tell a friend. Subscribe, leave a review, and share your take: what’s one action you’ll take for your community this week?

The Arizona Constitution Project

Check Out Our Free Lessons on Arizona History and Government!

Follow us on:
Twitter
Linked In
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Facebook
YouTube
Website

Interested in a Master's Degree? Check out the School of Civic and Economic Leadership's Master's in Classical Liberal Education and Leadership