ACUSHNET — Superintendent Dr. Paula Bailey and Principal Michelle Silvia are proud to share that a group of eighth grade students from Albert F. Ford Middle School (FMS) are being recognized for a civic action project as part of the 2025 Massachusetts Civics Project Showcases.
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) holds four regional showcases each year in partnership with Generation Citizen, a New York-based nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering young people to become engaged and effective citizens through community-based civics education.
The FMS students earned a Research and Investigation Commendation for their civic action project examining the topic of human trafficking, conducting deep research into the root causes of the issue, gathered compelling evidence, and making clear and persuasive arguments about why action is needed.
The project, titled “Stop Charges Against Human Trafficking Victims,” was completed by Aubrey Castelo, Madelyn Poulin, Amilia Alves and Sophia Marques.
“I’m incredibly proud of my students,” said Karen Bentley, Civics Teacher at FMS. “They approached a complex topic with such dedication and focus. Watching their growth throughout this project has been truly rewarding. My hope is that the skills they’ve developed — whether it’s research, critical thinking or perseverance — will continue to serve them as active, informed citizens, and help them engage with the world around them as they grow.”
The FMS students were awarded the Research and Investigation Commendation after the “Stop Charges Against Human Trafficking Victims” project was presented at a regional showcase held by DESE on May 27 at UMass Dartmouth.
“The Research and Investigation Commendation recognizes students who conducted deep research into the root causes of their issue, gathered compelling evidence, and made clear and persuasive arguments about why action is needed,” said Patrick Tutwiler, interim DESE commissioner.
Principal Silvia and Superintendent Dr. Bailey commended the FMS students for earning the commendation, congratulating them on their diligent research and thoughtful presentation.
“This is a great example of the kind of critical thinking abilities and serious research skills that we try to instill in our students,” said Principal Silvia. “Congratulations to our civics students on their commendation and congratulations to Ms. Bentley for doing such a great job at guiding them during the course of this project.”
“I’d like to applaud our students for earning statewide recognition for their civic action projects, ” said Superintendent Dr. Bailey. “This is an honor for our school district. We pride ourselves in providing a well-rounded education that teaches our students the importance of thinking critically about the world around them and understanding the role we play as citizens. Congratulations to Ms. Bentley and her students on a job well done.”
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