When The Civic Circle hosted its Art of Democracy anniversary celebration in downtown Silver Spring, the event was more than just an evening of music and art. It was a celebration of community and civic engagement. The Civic Circle, a Silver Spring based nonprofit, uses the performing arts to teach children about democracy and help build the next generation of active and informed citizens.
The Civic Circle brings democracy and civic learning to life for young children through music, drama, and storytelling in school performances and after-school programs. Their lessons center on seven “steps to democracy”: Listen, Learn, Choose, Join, Speak, Act, and Lead. These steps teach civic skills such as dialogue, media literacy, voting, and leadership. By combining the arts with learning, the program shows that civic education can be both fun and meaningful.
This year’s Art of Democracy marked The Civic Circle’s seventh anniversary and featured live performances, poetry, and special awards. Guests enjoyed music from award-winning singer Munit Mesfin, poetry led by Malachi Byrd, and remarks from Civic Nation CEO Kyle Lierman, who spoke about civic engagement in challenging times. One of the highlights of the evening was an onstage interview between Anuva Maloo, the MCPS Student Member of the Board, and Lierman. Together, they discussed youth leadership and the importance of participation.
The night also included a silent auction that raised funds to help The Civic Circle continue providing creative civic lessons for elementary school students and support young people as they work to make change in their communities.
Behind the scenes, students from local high schools helped bring the event to life. I volunteered with The Civic Circle team by running presentation slides during the program to coordinate visuals for each performance and speaker. Watching everything come together, from rehearsals to applause, showed me how much collaboration and care goes into an event built around hope and civic pride.
“The Civic Circle shows that civic learning doesn’t have to be boring,” one organizer said. “It can be creative, musical, and joyful, and that is how you reach young people.”
For me, being part of The Art of Democracy was more than volunteer work. It was a reminder that civic engagement starts with participation, whether that means voting, speaking up, or simply helping out behind the scenes.
