Questions & Answers

We hope you find the following series of common Questions and Answers helpful in understanding the Committee for Citizen Awareness.

If you have a specific question that is not addressed here, please Contact Us and we will answer as promptly as possible.


Q: How many years has the CCA been in operation?

A: Founded in 1985, the Committee for Citizen Awareness has been serving our nation's communities for over 20 years.


Q: What is CCA's objective?

A: To engage American youth in their federal democracy by having their locale's elected representative in Washington and local hosts in a civic role demystify the process and make it interesting. The representative and host in a civic role appear in award winning educational DVDs shown in the schools and in a popular web site that connects, for the first time in history, the opinion of high school age constituents with those elected to represent them in Washington, D.C.


Q: Does the CCA guarantee that a host in a civic role will be videotaped for the DVD and web site with his or her member of Congress?

A: No, the CCA does not guarantee that as the host one will tape a DVD with his or her member of Congress. If a host decides that he or she would like to tape with the appropriate member of Congress, the CCA will attempt to find a day and time on the busy schedule of the member of Congress and host when both can tape their segments. Although many members of Congress have participated in such joint tapings, it can be difficult to schedule them.

 

Q: What is the host's role in preparation of the DVD and the web site?

A: A representative of the hosting organization can be taped at the location of his or her choice. The CCA handles all of the logistics and arrangements for the taping including interfacing with the host's staff to schedule the taping time, hiring the professional videotaping crew, and providing a suggested script for the host's civic segments to be shown on the DVD and web site.

The CCA encourages the hosts's representative appearing on the DVD to include in the script a brief, objective description of the organization. In addition, the sponsoring organization can include DVD footage of its facility to heighten viewer identification with the locale. The taping takes approximately 30-45 minutes.


Q: How is the DVD distributed and web site promoted?

A: The CCA has an elaborate process for DVD distribution and web site exposure to assure that they are widely used. The CCA sends a copy of the DVD with explanatory materials to each of the following organizations within the congressional district being sponsored:

every public and private high school
every community and junior college
the major public libraries
the major chambers of commerce
the cable television facilities within the sponsored district.

The CCA follows up periodically with those who have received the DVD to encourage them to use the DVD and asks for feedback, which the CCA in turn sends to the host to keep him or her informed about the DVD's success.

The CCA also works closely with the offices of an area's elected Representative and Senators to assure that they encourage their high school age constituents to express their opinion to Congress through the web site. This is done through direct email response to the student who requests such a response and through teachers.


Q: How do you know the DVD and web site is utilized?

A: The CCA routinely surveys DVD audiences and keeps track of monthly site utilization. Our survey of high schools found that 100% of those with whom we spoke indicated routine use of CCA DVDs. Over one in four schools receiving DVDs sent us a note expressing their use of the DVD and their appreciation for it. Each year the CCA receives over 5,000 notes of appreciation from high school teachers and others. Only 30% of the schools surveyed indicated that they have in their library any civic-related DVDs other than those provided by the CCA.

In a focus group at a senior high school, 100% of the students said they would recommend the DVD for classroom use. In another CCA survey the DVD increased from 20% to 90%, the high school students who indicated they understand how the Congress works and it increased by 40% the number of high school students who said they feel that they know enough to cast a vote.


Q: What is the involvement of the member of Congress?

A: As part of the effort to make the DVD and web site pertinent to each locale and to help audiences have more of a personal connection to national civic issues, which can seem remote, the CCA invites the elected Member of Congress of the host's district to serve as a special guest on the DVD and web site. As a general rule, the CCA does not approach the Member about appearing on a specific DVD and web site until a host is secured. Over 95 percent of the Members approached agree to participate in this program. Click Notable Participants to see a list of some of those Members of Congress who appear on CCA DVDs.


Q: What is required of the host?

A: A representative of the hosting organization appears in the DVD to present brief opening and closing remarks. As well, the host's civic role on the web site encouraging civic participation.

A: A tax-deductible contribution to the CCA (a 501c3 organization) is required to cover the costs incurred in the production and distribution of the DVD.