Ballston Spa Graduates Earn NYS Civic Readiness Seal

BALLSTON SPA — Ballston Spa High School presented over 185 seniors in the Class of 2023 with a NYS Seal of Civic Readiness as part of commencement activities. BSHS Interim Principal Richard Murphy indicated, “The Seal allows us to recognize the successes our students are having and will continue to have in the field of Social Studies and civic engagement.”

Students earn points for their successful completion of the four years of core Social Studies classes required by NYSED. Many earn additional points for the completion of advanced coursework in Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and/or College in the High School Social Studies classes. Students also earn points toward the Seal by completing various Social Studies based electives.

“The Seal of Civic Readiness is designed to help students better understand the governmental world in which they live in as non-political a way as possible,” said High School Instructional Teacher Leader Heather Mazurowski. “Students, regardless of their point of view, need to graduate from high school ready to be active participants in our democracy and understand the institutions and issues which we face.”

It is the goal of Ballston Spa High School to help each student have a possible pathway to earning the diploma Seal as the program moved from the previous pilot stage to full implementation in 2022-23. The district will now look to add a Middle School Capstone project and a High School Capstone project in future years.