iEngage Youth Civic Empowerment Camp

iEngage Youth Civic Empowerment Camp is a free five-day civics day camp where participants interact with local civic leaders and elected officials, spend time learning about the legal process, play iCivics games, and examine primary source materials. Campers collaborate with like-minded peers in small groups based on grade level to choose an issue to explore, research and act upon local community issues, and engage in a community issues advocacy project that culminates in a public presentation of their recommendations. The camp includes presentations by local non-for profit organizations and utilizes an action civics model of inquiry to foster participants’ understanding of and engagement in civic life.

• Ages: 10–14 years old
• Schedule: Five-day civics day camp, June 22nd–June 26th, from 9:00 AM–3:00 PM (until 4:00 PM on Friday)
• Price: Cost: FREE with lunch provided

iEngage focuses on developing young people’s civic and political competence and strengthening their community and political engagement through inquiry-based civics projects in which they research and act upon local community issues. The camp is directed by Dr. Stephanie Serriere (IU Columbus). Local pre-service and in-service teachers serve as the counselors for each of the small groups. The camp is modeled after Baylor University’s iEngage camp, the 2022 recipient of the Sandra Day O’Connor Advancement in Civic Education award. iEngage Youth Civic Empowerment Camp is made possible by donations and partnership from the Council for Youth Development (CYD), Foundation for Youth (FFY), Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation (BCSC), Heritage Fund, Cummins Foundation, Duke Energy, IU’s Office of School and Community Partnerships’ Lilly Endowment for Indiana Youth Programs on Campus (IYPC), IU Columbus, and IU’s Political and Civic Engagement Program (PACE).

Last updated May 12, 2026.