Nipmuc teacher co-authors book on civics education

Nipmuc Regional High School history teacher Darcy Daniels has co-authored a new book aimed at helping teachers nationwide prepare students for active civic life, the Town of Mendon announced.

Daniels wrote "Portrait of a Citizen: Strategies and Tools for Teaching Action Civics in Grades 6-12" with fellow educator Denise Furlong. The book, published by Routledge, offers teachers strategies for having students investigate community problems, evaluate solutions, navigate misinformation and engage in dialogue across differing viewpoints.

Daniels said the examples in the book came from work already happening in the Nipmuc Social Studies Department, including Civics Action Projects addressing community issues, Oral History projects, mock trials and discussions of historical and modern issues. "I feel lucky to work at a school that values real-world experience and building skills that students can take out into the community," she said.

The book's framework aligns with the Mendon-Upton Regional School District's "Portrait of a Learner" model, which identifies six competencies for students: Mindful Learner, Global Citizen, Effective Communicator, Skillful Collaborator, Solution Seeker and Inspired Innovator.

Co-Principal Clements said Daniels "has created a critical resource for our modern world" that helps guide students toward making a positive community impact. History Department Chairperson Matt Merten called her "the kind of teammate every educator hopes to have."

Daniels has more than two decades of teaching experience, is a James Madison Memorial Fellow, and was named the 2024 Massachusetts History Teacher of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Nipmuc's Social Studies Department received the 2025 Recognition of Department Excellence in Teaching Social Studies Award from the Massachusetts Council for the Social Studies.

Co-author Furlong is an assistant professor of education at Georgian Court University in New Jersey, where she directs Advanced Programs in Multilingual and Literacy Education.

Source: Town of Mendon announcement, October 20, 2026.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the original announcement.