abstract:A study circle is a small group of people who meet multiple times to discuss an issue. Study circles may be formed to discuss anything from politics to religion to hobbies.
Right here in New Hampshire, the Portsmouth StudyCircle has brought hundreds of regular people together for over a decade to work out issues -- from school redistricting to ending racial profiling to the city's 10-year plan.
According to a study by The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, or CIRCLE, turnout among young voters has dropped by 13 percent between 1972 and 2000.
Critics guffawed, but Barr says the study helped the organization focus on the mission of discovering new talent and promoting it to a broader circle of readers.