It was a typical summer getaway when Avery Spranger’s world took an unexpected turn. While visiting Italy with her family in 2017, her grandfather became ill and needed immediate medical treatment. Spranger was confronted with a healthcare system vastly different from her midwestern home in Illinois and realized how one’s government touches lives.
“I was shocked,” Spranger said. “It dawned on me that almost everything that impacts our lives is a policy choice.”
That emergency sparked a deep-seated curiosity within her that would lead Spranger down the path of civic engagement. Driven by a newfound sense of purpose, she immersed herself in the study of government and citizens’ power to impact policy. While obtaining a bachelor’s degree in political science from Illinois State University, Spranger was selected to work as a full-time student with the campus civic engagement program, gaining experience with local campaigns, canvassing, hosting rallies and registering voters.
As Harris County Department of Education leaders look to continue building community partnerships and educating local students and families about government and policy, Spranger was a natural fit for #TeamHCDE as the civic engagement coordinator.
The newly added position and outreach efforts are sponsored by a $600,000 grant from the Houston Endowment, a private foundation that supports local organizations’ efforts to improve systems and address the diverse and changing needs of the Houston community. The funding is tangible trust in the Department’s connection with local leaders, families and students to deliver high-quality information that will boost voter participation and enable effective civic engagement with Houstonians and new residents.
“We have the community’s trust and an opportunity to educate them,” Spranger said. “Texas doesn’t have many standards for civic education, so it’s exciting to think about the impact HCDE can have.”
Spranger hit the ground running in January by teaming up with Head Start and the Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment for Kids to speak with parents during recent events or afterschool pickup. The networking opportunities provide a platform to discuss topics such as upcoming local elections and Head Start’s federal funding or answer general questions about local and U.S. government. Spranger described joy in helping Harris County citizens understand how their passions, advocacy, voting and policy are intertwined.
“It’s cool to see people understand their own power because everybody has something they care about,” Spranger said. “I love being able to explain which elected official has power over their specific interests and explain how those elected officials make policies that will help or hinder those issues.”
In the future, Spranger plans to contact additional HCDE divisions to assist leaders in educating people with open forums and presentations. These will explain the three branches of government, inform residents about who is running for office and provide opportunities for community volunteerism. Additionally, she hopes to coordinate with community partners and vendors who specialize in teaching civic engagement to young children for our Special Schools and afterschool population.