Journalists and friends joined the Retro Report team on Sept. 19 for a preview screening of the first episode of “Citizen Nation,” a new four-part series that will air on PBS stations in October. The event took place at the Whitby Hotel in New York.
For “Citizen Nation,” Retro Report followed high school students and teachers over 10 months across eight states as they rise through the We the People civics competition, responding to judges’ challenges in the style of Congressional hearings. Along the way they reveal their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and politics, and wrestle with what it means to be a citizen today.
The series premieres Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 9/8c on PBS (check local listings), streaming on PBS.org, the PBS App, Prime Video, and YouTube. You can see the trailer here.
Lesley Stahl, an award-winning correspondent for “60 Minutes,” led a panel discussion after the screening, interviewing three people featured in the program, along with its director and creator. The conversation focused on ways civic education can combat polarization and bridge divides.
Stahl asked Erin Lindt, a teacher who appears in the first episode, why she returned to coach the competition every year, despite the pressure it put on her work and personal life. “Kids will reinstill your faith in everything,” Lindt said.
Journeylove Taylor, a student who appears in later episodes, described how the competition gave her optimism both for her future and that of the nation.
When asked for a takeaway from their work with the teachers and teenagers, Singeli Agnew and Bret Sigler, the series director and creator, agreed: “That we’re in good hands.”
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DAGMAR ROTHSCHILD is an education intern at Retro Report. She is an undergraduate at Georgetown, studying International Relations.
