Ученики пятой школы из Пириа получили высшую награду за проект по безопасности туристов в условиях жары

Five Sunset Heights Elementary School students turned concerns about hiking in Arizona’s extreme heat into a nationally recognized public policy project — and evidence that eighth graders can have a voice in their community. Aubree Freiwald, Grayson Horton, Savannah Howey, Tristen Olsen and Logan Wagner-Corona earned a superior rating, the highest available, at the Project Citizen National Showcase for their project, “Heat-Related Deaths on Hikes.” The students researched heat-related illnesses and deaths on Arizona hiking trails and developed public policy proposals aimed at improving hiker safety. Michael Johnson, a social studies content coach with Peoria Unified School District who worked closely with the group, said the students arrived at the topic after brainstorming several issues. Three of the five students regularly hiked with their parents, which helped draw their attention to the issue. “They started looking into it more, and they were shocked at the number of heat-related deaths and illnesses that were in Arizona,” Johnson said. The national recognition follows the team’s success at the 2026 Project Citizen State Showcase in Phoenix. As previously reported by the Peoria Times, Project Citizen is a national civic education program through the Center for Civic Education that challenges students to identify a community issue, research existing public policies and potential solutions, and develop an action plan advocating for change through local or state government. The state showcase, hosted by the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education, brought together top student teams from across Arizona. Eleven of the state’s highest-scoring classes advanced to the showcase following a statewide e-portfolio competition, with students presenting projects addressing issues including school safety, mental health, domestic violence prevention and heat-related hiking deaths. Jennifer Castro, chief learning officer for the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education, told the Peoria Times that Project Citizen is intended to demonstrate that young people do not have to wait until adulthood to become involved in their communities. “It’s meant to empower youth,” Castro said at the time. “It’s meant to let them know that they have a voice, an ability to make a difference, that it’s their community and they have the ability to do something when they see something that needs help.” Unlike a traditional community service project, Castro said, Project Citizen focuses on creating lasting change through public policy. Students research existing policies, interview community members and develop their own proposed solutions. Castro also emphasized that students, rather than teachers or schools, choose the issues they want to address. “The teacher can’t decide it and the school can’t decide it,” Castro previously told the Peoria Times. “It has to be something the youth feel passionate about.” For the Sunset Heights students, that interest developed into extensive research that went beyond online sources. Students interviewed several people with firsthand or professional knowledge of the issue, including a rescue pilot, Peoria’s fire chief, a Peoria City Council member and a municipal financial professional. They also worked to cross-check the information and data they collected. Before advancing to the state competition, the students were invited by the Peoria Parks and Recreation Department to present their findings to local decision-makers. Johnson said the students spent about 90 minutes discussing their research and recommendations. Their work was later referenced during a Peoria City Council meeting in connection with potential city ordinances, he said. Among the students’ proposals were increased signage at hiking areas, water stations and refill locations at trails and additional public education about the dangers of hiking in extreme heat. One finding in particular influenced their emphasis on education: Many of the people experiencing heat-related illnesses and deaths were Valley residents rather than visitors unfamiliar with Arizona’s climate, Johnson said. The students also learned about the costs and resources associated with mountain rescues. Johnson said the ideas and proposed solutions came from the students. “It was all driven by the students themselves,” he said. Their teacher guided them through to get ready for the district, and I guided them through the district and state, and ultimately to submit their portfolio nationally. Teachers and district staff provided guidance as the students advanced from the district showcase to state competition and eventually the national showcase, but Johnson said the ideas remained student-centered. The experience also required the students to learn how to collaborate, compromise and consider different viewpoints. Johnson said students told him afterward that they had strengthened their presentation skills and learned they could make a difference despite their age. Johnson said what impressed him most was the students’ commitment. They gave up recess time and spent time before and after school and during lunches working on the project. “Their dedication, their genuine commitment to the project and wanting to actually make a difference is what impressed me the most,” Johnson said. The team’s work ultimately earned a superior rating from national showcase reviewers in recognition of its research, critical thinking and civic engagement. “Our Sunset Heights students demonstrated the very best of what civic education can accomplish,” Peoria Unified Interim Superintendent Tahlya Visintainer said in a district news release. “By identifying a real-world issue, conducting meaningful research and proposing solutions that can make a difference in their community, these students exemplified the power of student voice and the importance of active citizenship.” The recognition builds on a program Peoria Unified introduced during the 2025-26 school year. Johnson first learned about Project Citizen through the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education and later served as a judge at the state competition. After seeing the program firsthand, he said he believed it could provide Peoria Unified students with an opportunity to put civic education into practice. Five district schools participated during the program’s first year. Peoria Unified held its first district showcase before teams had the opportunity to advance to the state level. For Johnson, Project Citizen’s value comes in giving students an experience that goes beyond learning about government from a textbook. “It’s authentic,” Johnson said. “They’re actually doing something that they can utilize.” Some students told him they were surprised by how seriously adults took their ideas, he said. “You don’t get that just by reading a book that says you can make a difference,” Johnson said. “You get that by actually doing something and attempting to make that difference.” Johnson said the district now wants to expand that opportunity. All 31 eligible schools are expected to offer Project Citizen during the coming school year, and the district plans to hold two showcases instead of one to accommodate increased participation. Johnson said he hopes the Sunset Heights students carry what they learned into high school and beyond. At the state competition, he recalled a judge offering the students a simple piece of advice: “Don’t stop here.” Johnson said he hopes they continue developing their public speaking skills, recognize that hard work can produce results and serve as examples for other students. “They can be the leaders of tomorrow and today,” he said.