RU Ready in the Classroom
An initiative for fostering youth civic engagement in their communities, RU Ready in the Classroom provides evidence-based resources and lesson modules to support high school educators in teaching democracy.
Learn MoreRU Ready
A civic education initiative providing high school and middle school students with the motivation and the civic, political, and expressive tools they need to address public problems in their community.
Interested in implementing the RU Ready Civics Fair for middle school or high school learners? Visit RU Ready in the Classroom
About RU Ready
The RU Ready program in partnership with the Rutgers Democracy Lab was created in 2006 with a goal of fostering democratic engagement in area high school students. Over the past twenty years, the program has expanded to provide free RU Ready Civics Fairs and Young Leaders Conferences for area high school and middle school students. Developed and facilitated by a team of trained staff members and Rutgers University–New Brunswick undergraduate students, all programs satisfy New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Social Studies. The program is currently administered in area middle school and high schools throughout the state of New Jersey, with particular emphasis on serving underrepresented students.
For schools interested in curriculum for their classrooms, RU Ready offers free downloadable lesson modules in English and Spanish for educators interested in showcasing young adult led social movements in the classroom.
RU Ready is made possible by the generous support of the New Jersey State Bar Foundation and the Rutgers Democracy Lab.
Partner Schools
During the 2024-2025 school year, the RU Ready Civics Fair was administered in the following schools:
- Piscataway Magnet High School
- East Brunswick Magnet High School
- Carteret High School
- North Brunswick Township Middle School
- Roosevelt Intermediate School
- Edison Intermediate School
- Bayonne High School
- Philip G. Vroom Intermediate School
- Union High School
- Piscataway High School
RU Ready Civics Fair
Piloted in the spring of 2019 at New Brunswick High School, the RU Ready Civics Fair is a free expo-style event in which college students engage high schoolers and middle schoolers in various educational stations focused on different aspects of civic engagement. The RU Ready Civics Fair aims to empower students to see themselves and issues in their communities as part of the political process and gives them the resources to do so.
The Civics Fair features four stations introducing students to civic engagement and political participation:
- Getting Political
- Speaking Out
- Paying Attention
- Volunteering
Students navigate through the Fair with printed scavenger hunts that are provided by the program, and receive customizable materials for the district that is being served.
Civics Fair Logistics
RU Ready Civics Fairs are held on Friday’s from January through May for 4-hours at the partner school district; additional dates and times are available based on program availability. All Civics Fairs are administered by Center for Youth Political Participation staff and trained Rutgers University undergraduate students that have completed the New Jersey Department of Education volunteer paperwork (background check, fingerprinting, TB test, and Rutgers University Protection of Minors training). Materials and giveaways are provided free of charge to partner schools and set-up, administration, and breakdown is coordinated by CYPP staff and students.
Partner School Eligibility
- Comprehensive public middle school or high school in New Jersey, with an emphasis on districts serving historically underrepresented communities
- Within relative proximity to Rutgers University–New Brunswick campus
- Schools located more than 45-minutes away from campus will be considered on a case-by-case basis
Interested schools can contact Jessica Ronan-Frisch to schedule an introductory meeting.
Are you interested in hosting the RU Ready Civics Fair in your high school or middle school? Learn more about the RU Ready Civics Fair Toolkit
Young Leaders Conference
A culminating activity of the RU Ready Civics Fair, partner high schools will be considered to participate in the RU Ready Young Leaders Conference. Hosted at Rutgers–New Brunswick, up to four schools will bring 12-14 students to participate in a full-day conference to practice civic participate skills introduced during the Civics Fair. Featuring small group discussions, a interactive video booth, and a democratic simulation addressing a fictional problem of the student’s choosing, the Young Leaders Conference enables students to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed for lifelong community engagement.
The Young Leaders Conference is a free event for chosen partner schools that have participated in the RU Ready Civics Fair, and includes:
- Breakfast and lunch for all participants
- Roundtrip transportation from Rutgers–New Brunswick
- All printed materials and resources
- RU Ready t-shirts and giveaways for all participants
For more information on the RU Ready Young Leaders Conference, contact Jessica Ronan-Frisch (jronan@eagleton.rutgers.edu).