Our Blog
Up-to-date information about GC and the broader community we serve.
Jul022019Read More >The Importance of High-Quality Professional Development
How we can get the most out of Professional Development that values teachers as the professionals they are By Lily Macias, Summer Program Fellow at Generation Citizen Oklahoma Remember those days in school when you had a substitute teacher, or maybe a late start, early release, or even an entire day off, because your teachers […]
Jun262019Read More >Oklahoma Student Shares Her Message of Action Civics
Claire Hopper Alcott Middle SchoolNorman, OK Good morning! My name is Claire Hopper and I go to Alcott Middle School in Norman, Oklahoma. First of all, I want to thank you all and I want to thank Generation Citizen for this opportunity on being apart of Civics Day. I also want to thank Ms. Maynard […]
Jun252019Read More >Texas Student Change Maker Addresses
Serena Galloway-Mark Serena Galloway-MarkAustin, TX Good morning! My name is Serena Galloway-Mark. I am a 7th grader at Kealing middle school I am honored to receive this award. It has been a long journey this semester. at the beginning when my class was voting on our issue it was 4 votes for housing affordability and […]
Jun252019Read More >Rhode Island Student Change Maker Address
Jaliana Lovelace Roger Williams Middle SchoolProvidence, RI Good Morning ladies and gentlemen my name is Jaliana Lovelace I am an 8th grade student at Roger Williams Middle School and I was born and raised in Providence Rhode Island. I just want to start off by saying I was so nervous but excited when I found […]
Jun252019Read More >Massachusetts Student Change Maker Address
Lucas DeLeon Methuen High SchoolMethuen, MA When I first heard my class was participating in Generation Citizen I thought the project would be fun, but, why did I want to put in the effort? It was junior year, I was doing well enough, but why would I want to put in more effort? I didn’t […]
Jun252019Read More >New York Student Change Maker Address
Nizayah Idlet Queens Preparatory AcademyQueens, NY Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen… My name is Nizayah Idlet and I’m a Sophomore at Queens Preparatory Academy. Before I begin today I would like to honor the people who have worked with me and helped me progress to this point in my school career. Ms, Ng-A-Qui my Chemistry […]
Jun252019Read More >California Student Change Maker Address
Camille Moraven Willard Middle School Berkeley, CA Hi my name is Camille Moraven. I am a 14-year-old 8th grader from Berkeley and I attend Willard Middle School. ~ Did you know that almost 20% of people living in Berkeley are living in poverty? What about the fact that 20% of Berkeley’s population are also immigrants? […]
May232019Read More >Generation Citizen Testimony to the New York City Council in Response to the Fiscal Year 2020 Executive Budget
Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony on behalf of Generation Citizen (“GC”) in response to the Fiscal Year 2020 Executive budget. My name is DeNora Getachew, and I am the New York City Executive Director at Generation Citizen NYC (“GCNYC”). GC appreciates the Council’s funding through the Civics Education in City Schools Initiative […]
May142019Read More >Talking Civics in the Nation’s Capitol
Generation Citizen hosts Fireside Chat with John King, Education Trust President and former U.S. Secretary of Education Last month, Generation Citizen’s policy and advocacy department executed two public affairs events in Washington D.C. On April 4th, we convened a Fireside Chat with John King, President and CEO of the Education Trust and 10th U.S. Secretary […]
Apr192019Read More >A Solution for States with Skill Gaps in Workforce Development: How building civic skills and knowledge can prepare students to lift our economies
by Amy Curran, Oklahoma Executive Director The United States faces a challenge to fill workforce development gaps as a result of the shift from the industrial age to the knowledge age. The need for a post-secondary degree or certification has become more important than ever. And, with the rising expense of degree programs, it is […]
Apr042019Read More >Localizing College Civics: The need to engage college students in local government
by Hannah Bigbee a Generation Citizen’s Student Leadership Board member Like many college campuses, the University of Oklahoma is seen as its own community by the students. Many students live, work, attend classes, and eat all of their meals while on campus. Because of this, the university becomes its own world. While having this community […]
Mar262019Read More >White Noise: A Fundraiser Hosted by the NYC Local Advisory Board
Join us for a private evening of theater benefiting Generation Citizen. Generation Citizen New York City’s Local Advisory Board is excited to invite you to a private evening of theater to benefit Generation Citizen at The Public Theater on April 30th for the 7 pm performance of see “White Noise.” White Noise, Written by Suzan-Lori […]
- Mar202019Read More >
Testimony to the NYC Council on the 2020 Education Budget
Testimony by Martin Mintz, New York City Program ManagerNew York City Council Education and Finance Committee Good Morning Members of the City Council’s Education and Finance Committees: Thank you for the opportunity to testify today on behalf of Generation Citizen (“GC”) about the Fiscal Year 2020 City’s Education’s budget. My name is Martin Mintz, […]
Mar132019Read More >Meredith Norris Gives Testimony to the Texas House Public Education Committee on Civics Education: We need more than the Citizenship Test as a civics requirement
On Tuesday March 5th, Generation Citizen’s Texas Executive Director, Meredith Norris gave testimony to the Texas House Public Education Committee on House Bill 1244, the Citizenship Test bill. Read below for what she said! On behalf of Generation Citizen: Educating our youth about the structures and functions of our government and equipping them with the […]
Mar132019Read More >Gentrification – A Student’s Perspective on The Intensification of Modern Displacement in New York City: How widespread gentrification is continuing to shape the future of our city
By Ishrat Jahan, Student at Urban Assembly Institute of Math and Science My name is Ishrat Jahan and I am a Junior at Urban Assembly Institute of Math and Science for Young Women in Brooklyn, New York. In our Generation Citizen class, my classmates and I chose gentrification as our focus issue because we believe […]
- Feb282019Read More >
Teachers: Join the Democracy Lab
Feb282019Read More >Why Do We Know So Little About County Government? Lessons from Ninnekah, Oklahoma
By Elizabeth Sidler, Oklahoma Senior Program Associate Driving south on Old Highway 81 toward Ninnekah, Oklahoma, my colleague and I pass rolling hills, retention ponds, phone line maintenance, and cows. Just a few miles north is a Walmart and a Chinese restaurant, a Walgreens and a university. But here it’s land and homes and people. While […]
Feb212019Read More >What Would a Citizen Do? Why we need to think about citizenship more broadly
by Nivetha Nagarajan, Development Associate I was seven years old, in my second grade class, and we were voting on which book to read as a complement to our unit on democracy, citizenship, and American identity. I abstained from voting because I already knew I wasn’t an American citizen and wouldn’t have the right to […]
- Jul022019Read More >
The Importance of High-Quality Professional Development
How we can get the most out of Professional Development that values teachers as the professionals they are By Lily Macias, Summer Program Fellow at Generation Citizen Oklahoma Remember those days in school when you had a substitute teacher, or maybe a late start, early release, or even an entire day off, because your teachers […]
- Apr192019Read More >
A Solution for States with Skill Gaps in Workforce Development: How building civic skills and knowledge can prepare students to lift our economies
by Amy Curran, Oklahoma Executive Director The United States faces a challenge to fill workforce development gaps as a result of the shift from the industrial age to the knowledge age. The need for a post-secondary degree or certification has become more important than ever. And, with the rising expense of degree programs, it is […]
- Apr042019Read More >
Localizing College Civics: The need to engage college students in local government
by Hannah Bigbee a Generation Citizen’s Student Leadership Board member Like many college campuses, the University of Oklahoma is seen as its own community by the students. Many students live, work, attend classes, and eat all of their meals while on campus. Because of this, the university becomes its own world. While having this community […]
- Mar132019Read More >
Gentrification – A Student’s Perspective on The Intensification of Modern Displacement in New York City: How widespread gentrification is continuing to shape the future of our city
By Ishrat Jahan, Student at Urban Assembly Institute of Math and Science My name is Ishrat Jahan and I am a Junior at Urban Assembly Institute of Math and Science for Young Women in Brooklyn, New York. In our Generation Citizen class, my classmates and I chose gentrification as our focus issue because we believe […]
- Feb282019Read More >
Why Do We Know So Little About County Government? Lessons from Ninnekah, Oklahoma
By Elizabeth Sidler, Oklahoma Senior Program Associate Driving south on Old Highway 81 toward Ninnekah, Oklahoma, my colleague and I pass rolling hills, retention ponds, phone line maintenance, and cows. Just a few miles north is a Walmart and a Chinese restaurant, a Walgreens and a university. But here it’s land and homes and people. While […]
- Feb212019Read More >
What Would a Citizen Do? Why we need to think about citizenship more broadly
by Nivetha Nagarajan, Development Associate I was seven years old, in my second grade class, and we were voting on which book to read as a complement to our unit on democracy, citizenship, and American identity. I abstained from voting because I already knew I wasn’t an American citizen and wouldn’t have the right to […]
Feb072019Read More >Thanks but No Thanks: What two senators got wrong about civics and how they can do better
By Dana Harris, Advocacy Director There are few things that we, as an American population, nearly universally agree on. Yet, one of them is that civics education is a good thing. Prior to the 2016 elections, most people would call it an important subject but would fall short of thinking it was the most important. […]
Jan242019Read More >An Open Eye to Many Possibilities
The text of a Generation Citizen student, Lori Campbell: It all started when two NYU students came through the big blue doors at my school, and introduced themselves as “coaches of democracy, change and fellowship.” My first thought was “Who are these unfamiliar faces” then my second thought was “What do these people want from […]
Dec202018Read More >Small Towns and Prodigious Minds: The Potential in Rural Communities
By Megan Brandon, Regional Program Manager, Texas & National “Small town, country kids who lead a simple life.” This was just one of the many expressions often used to describe my former students from Bastrop, a small town of around 8,000 people, just 35 minutes east of Austin, TX, but it might as well be […]
Dec062018Read More >Youth voter participation is not red or blue, it’s universal
I have the privilege of working with middle and high school students across the state of Oklahoma. As a civics educator, I find myself constantly noticing where young people show up. During the build-up to the 2018 midterm election, I saw students where I always do — at the mall, in their schools, at athletic […]
Nov082018Read More >Civic Dispositions and School Culture
The conflict between youth civic engagement and anti-democratic educational environments I tried to find a way to start this without invoking the midterm election and all of the reports of “apathetic” voters. I promise I did. But before you stop reading, this might not go where you think it’s going to. I offer a challenge: […]
Nov082018Read More >Drew Brees is a Populist
Stick with me and I’ll explain What’s going on??? Grover Cleveland has just been sworn in to his second term as the 24th President of the United States, of which there are only 44. It is the second time he has been elected, making Benjamin Harrison the answer to the trivia question, “who is the only […]
Nov082018Read More >Voter suppression by adults sends the wrong message to America’s young people
Why restricting participation at the polls might discourage emerging civic actors Voter suppression teaches children that adults are not serious about preserving democracy for the emerging generation of voters. When eligible individuals follow all the rules and still struggle to obtain access to the ballot box, it sends the wrong signal to the nation’s young people. […]
Nov022018Read More >Flip Your Ballot: GC Endorses All Three NYC Ballot Proposals
On Thursday, October 25, 2018, Generation Citizen New York City submitted public comments to the Campaign Finance Board endorsing the three ballot proposals on the November 6, 2018 ballot. Read on! GC NYC participated in the 2018 Charter Revision Commission process, including by testifying before the 2018 New York City Charter Revision Commission (Commission) about […]
May012018Read More >[podcast] Civics Disrupted: The Rise and Potential of Political Entrepreneurship
Rising to meet the many social and political challenges facing our democracy is a new breed of innovator and disruptor. Political Entrepreneurs are addressing some of democracy’s most pressing challenges by delivering fresh and innovative ideas, products, and services. On Wednesday, April 25th Generation Citizen, brought together a panel of diverse civic disruptors to explore […]
Apr182018Read More >Jury is More Than a Duty — It’s Civics in Action
Jury is More Than a Duty — It’s Civics in Action How jury duty is a microcosm of our democracy by Nora Howe, New York Senior Program Associate Everyone assured me that I wouldn’t be picked. Or groaned when I told them I’d been summoned. When I walked to Brooklyn Superior Court with dozens of other New Yorkers […]
Mar052018Read More >Young People Are Always at the Forefront of Political Change
Young People Are Always at the Forefront of Political Change Lessons for Generation Citizen from Parkland by Scott Warren On February 14th, when I heard there had been another school shooting, I admit that I was simultaneously devastated and defeated. Crushed that yet another shooting had occurred, but already completely succumbed to a reality that nothing […]
Mar022018Read More >Civics Education in the Classroom and Community
Civics Education in the Classroom and Community Civics education must happen in school, as well as other community-rooted institutions. By Andrew Wilkes, Director of Policy and Advocacy Civics education must happen in schools. But it can, and must, also happen in community centers, congregations, labor unions, and other membership-driven organizations. One way to define civics […]
- Jun262019Read More >
Oklahoma Student Shares Her Message of Action Civics
Claire Hopper Alcott Middle SchoolNorman, OK Good morning! My name is Claire Hopper and I go to Alcott Middle School in Norman, Oklahoma. First of all, I want to thank you all and I want to thank Generation Citizen for this opportunity on being apart of Civics Day. I also want to thank Ms. Maynard […]
- Jun252019Read More >
Texas Student Change Maker Addresses
Serena Galloway-Mark Serena Galloway-MarkAustin, TX Good morning! My name is Serena Galloway-Mark. I am a 7th grader at Kealing middle school I am honored to receive this award. It has been a long journey this semester. at the beginning when my class was voting on our issue it was 4 votes for housing affordability and […]
- Jun252019Read More >
Rhode Island Student Change Maker Address
Jaliana Lovelace Roger Williams Middle SchoolProvidence, RI Good Morning ladies and gentlemen my name is Jaliana Lovelace I am an 8th grade student at Roger Williams Middle School and I was born and raised in Providence Rhode Island. I just want to start off by saying I was so nervous but excited when I found […]
- Jun252019Read More >
Massachusetts Student Change Maker Address
Lucas DeLeon Methuen High SchoolMethuen, MA When I first heard my class was participating in Generation Citizen I thought the project would be fun, but, why did I want to put in the effort? It was junior year, I was doing well enough, but why would I want to put in more effort? I didn’t […]
- Jun252019Read More >
New York Student Change Maker Address
Nizayah Idlet Queens Preparatory AcademyQueens, NY Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen… My name is Nizayah Idlet and I’m a Sophomore at Queens Preparatory Academy. Before I begin today I would like to honor the people who have worked with me and helped me progress to this point in my school career. Ms, Ng-A-Qui my Chemistry […]
- Jun252019Read More >
California Student Change Maker Address
Camille Moraven Willard Middle School Berkeley, CA Hi my name is Camille Moraven. I am a 14-year-old 8th grader from Berkeley and I attend Willard Middle School. ~ Did you know that almost 20% of people living in Berkeley are living in poverty? What about the fact that 20% of Berkeley’s population are also immigrants? […]
- May142019Read More >
Talking Civics in the Nation’s Capitol
Generation Citizen hosts Fireside Chat with John King, Education Trust President and former U.S. Secretary of Education Last month, Generation Citizen’s policy and advocacy department executed two public affairs events in Washington D.C. On April 4th, we convened a Fireside Chat with John King, President and CEO of the Education Trust and 10th U.S. Secretary […]
- Mar262019Read More >
White Noise: A Fundraiser Hosted by the NYC Local Advisory Board
Join us for a private evening of theater benefiting Generation Citizen. Generation Citizen New York City’s Local Advisory Board is excited to invite you to a private evening of theater to benefit Generation Citizen at The Public Theater on April 30th for the 7 pm performance of see “White Noise.” White Noise, Written by Suzan-Lori […]
Feb122019Read More >GENERATION CITIZEN: The Power of Youth in Our Politics, a new book by Scott Warren
Jan232019Read More >TRIVIA FOR CHANGEMAKERS
Nov082018Read More >NEW REPORT: Through an Action Civics Lens – Policy and Advocacy to Support Effective Civics Education Across the 50 states
Generation Citizen’s Policy and Advocacy Team is thrilled to be launching a report, “Through an Action Civics Lens: Policy and Advocacy to Support Effective Civics Education Across the 50 States” in tandem with our 2018-2019 Policy and Advocacy Agenda. You can find the Report here and the Agenda here. Generation Citizen’s (GC) founding mission is […]
Nov022018Read More >NYC Local Advisory Board Hype Man Performance
The Generation Citizen New York City’s Local Advisory Board is excited to invite you to a private evening of theater to benefit Generation Citizen at The Flea Theater on Monday, November 12th for the 7pm performance of Hype Man, followed by a wine reception and talk back with the cast. The play by Idris Goodwin […]
Aug132018Read More >GENERATION CITIZEN ANNOUNCES AIMEE SPRUNG AS MASSACHUSETTS BOARD CHAIR
Generation Citizen (GC) is excited to welcome Aimee Sprung as the new Chairperson of the Massachusetts Board of Directors. As Generation Citizen Massachusetts enters a phase of rapid opportunity and growth, we are thrilled for Aimee to lead our local site to help us engage exponentially more young people in Action Civics and support the next […]
Jun142018Read More >GC Student, Samara Henry, Testifies at the New York City Council Executive Budget Hearing
On May 24th, 2018, Samara Henry, a student at the Bronx Academy of Letters, testified at the New York City Council Executive Budget Hearing. Here she explains the crucial role of Action Civics. Read on! Good afternoon. Thank you for the opportunity to testify at today’s hearing. My name is Samara Henry and I […]
May302018Read More >Civics Day: A Movement of Youth Civic Engagement Across the U.S.
Watch: “Youth voices are the key to change for the future.” Justice Paraiso-Caceres and GC Students Share Why Youth Voice Matters Generation Citizen students are leading in their communities by tackling head-on difficult issues that impact their everyday lives: pollution, bullying, gun violence, school funding and many more. At Civics Day, our end-of-semester showcase event, […]
Apr042018Read More >Generation Citizen Testimony to the New York City Council Education Committee
On March 23, 2018, Generation Citizen NYC Program Director, Brooke Wallace, submitted public testimony about the New York City Council’s Education Committee Budget and the importance of having Action Civics in the classroom. Here she explains the crucial role Action Civics has in effectively addressing New York City’s civic participation problem. Read on! Good Morning […]
Apr042018Read More >Emily Larcher Shares Public Testimony on the Importance of Action Civics Education
On March 23, 2018, Generation Citizen NYC alumna, Emily Larcher, submitted public testimony to the New York City Council’s Education Committee. Here she explains her experience in a Generation Citizen class and how it empowered her to use her voice and become civically engaged after Generation Citizen. Read on! Testimony by Emily Larcher Freshman at […]
Feb142018Read More >GC finds a new partner for civics education in NYC City Hall
Generation Citizen applauds Mayor de Blasio for prioritizing democracy reform, including civics education, in his State of the City speech tonight. Nationwide, political disillusion, disengagement, and illiteracy are rampant across all age demographics, especially in local politics. These challenges are especially pronounced among young people. Nationally, only 8 percent of 18–24-year-olds voted in the 2014 […]
Jul312018Read More >What We’re Reading | July 31st, 2018
Our favorite articles from recent weeks Every few weeks, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civics education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! How […]
Mar192018Read More >What We’re Reading
Every few weeks, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civics education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! The Power to Change the World: A Teaching […]
- Jan112018Read More >
What We’re Reading
Happy New Year! Every few weeks, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civics education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! Teaching Civics in a Hyperpartisan Climate, Education […]
- Dec072017Read More >
What We’re Reading
Every few weeks, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civics education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! Don’t Stop the Presses! When Local News Struggles, […]
- Nov222017Read More >
What We’re Reading
Every few weeks, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civics education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! Think Students Won’t Consider Opposite Political Views? Here’s […]
- Nov022017Read More >
What We’re Reading
Every few weeks, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civics education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! Should we worry that half of Americans trust […]
- Sep142017Read More >
What We’re Reading
Every few weeks, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civics education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! If “Did Not Vote” Had Been A Candidate […]
- Aug162017Read More >
What We’re Reading
Every few weeks, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civics education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! Put Me In Coach: Reworking Social Studies for […]
- Jul202017Read More >
What We’re Reading
Every few weeks, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civics education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! What happens to local news when there is […]
- Jun272017Read More >
What We’re Reading
Every few weeks, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civics education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! Youth turnout at UK general election highest in […]
- Jun092017Read More >
What We’re Reading
Every few weeks, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civics education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! Teen’s election to Pearland school board turns heads, […]
- May112017Read More >
What We’re Reading
Every few weeks, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civics education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! Building Effective Coalitions with Fair Fares Campaign Members, […]
- Apr202017Read More >
What We’re Reading
Every few weeks, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civics education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! Factoring Schools into the Calculus of City Budgeting, […]
- Mar302017Read More >
What We’re Reading
Every few weeks, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civics education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! Study: 60 Percent of Rural Millennials Lack […]
Mar092017Read More >What We’re Reading
Every few weeks, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civics education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! A Great New Accidental Renaissance. The New […]
- Feb162017Read More >
What We’re Reading
Every other week, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civics education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! The Snapchat Cohort gets into Politics, and […]
- Jan262017Read More >
What We’re Reading
Every other week, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civic education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! 25 ways to be politically active (whether […]
- Jan132017Read More >
What We’re Reading
Every other week, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civic education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections! The Remedy for the Spread of Fake […]