Knowledge is power and informed citizens are empowered citizens. However, many people know very little about our state and federal government. For example:

• According to a national survey, 22 percent of Americans think the three branches of government are Republican, Democrat and Independent.
• Over one third of Americans cannot identify even one branch of government.
• Only two percent of Americans polled could identify the five rights in the First Amendment.

To foster a better public understanding of civics and the essential role the courts play in a vibrant democracy, the New Jersey State Bar Association and New Jersey Judiciary created the Benchmark Civics Project.

Through the project, lawyers will receive ethics/professionalism continuing legal education credits (CLE) when they attend a training session about speaking on civics issues to community groups. Once trained, attorneys who go out and speak with those groups can earn additional ethics/professionalism CLE credits.

“We can all agree we want a peaceful, safer and more harmonious country for ourselves, our families and our children,” said NJSBA President John E. Keefe Jr. “To advance that goal, we call upon our brothers and sisters in the legal community to be stewards of truth and to help educate our neighbors and friends about the fundamental tenants of democracy.”

The Benchmarks Civics Project is fun, interactive and not political. It's not a lecture, but a creative program that will educate, inform and empower. The next training session for the Benchmarks Civics Project will be held Wednesday, Jan. 30, from 9-11 a.m. at the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick.

For more information and to register, visit njsba.com.