BRADENTON, Fla. — Making tomorrow better for all starts with educating the youth of today. That mantra is the core philosophy in Lindsay Richter's classroom at Electa A. Lee Magnet Middle School. 

She's teaching students what it means to be a United States citizen and how to be a part of change in this country.

“This is why I became a teacher to make an impact on their lives," said Lindsay Richter. "Not only to teach them, yes, that is my primary job. But I also want them to become engaged citizens and to be petitioning the government and actively playing a role in their community.”

Civics is a required school course here in the state of Florida. Some students may see it as just another class to pass, but Richter chooses to go beyond, thinking outside the box to incorporate interactive elements like games and music to keep students engaged. Richter wants students to know some of the most valuable rights Americans have, like how to register to vote, learn more about candidates, and develop the critical thinking skills needed to have an informed opinion on issues.

Not only that, but she also builds personal relationships with every student so they can not just see the value in her lessons, but also find safety in the classroom.

“When you teach at a Title I school, a lot of our students may not actually have strong relationships at home or people that they can truly rely on on a daily basis," she said. "So being that person, or becoming that person for students, and acknowledging not only our differences but our similarities is a huge thing, especially in our school.”

Unlike many of her colleagues, Richter knows firsthand what great opportunities are present at this school and what students will experience. After all, she was a student here herself.

“I was a middle schooler here," she explained. "So I start a relationship with every student from that point in acknowledging that we have that in common, and then I try to build from there."