500 Gen Zers Named 2025 Carnegie Young Leaders

The inaugural class of Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness features young changemakers from across the country tackling real-world challenges in their communities. These 500 young people from 27 states and D.C. will receive a full year of wraparound support from Citizens & Scholars, including funding, mentoring, training and access to a national network. Explore the 2025 Carnegie Young Leaders and their projects below. Note that some fellows are not listed to protect their privacy.

A Town of Friendly People Getting Back to the Basics
Saint George, SC
Team Lead: Nyra Govan
Team Members: Alison Bannister, Peter Smith III

A Town of Friendly People Getting Back to the Basics is dedicated to raising awareness, promoting engaging physical activity opportunities, and advocating for policy changes that foster healthier rural communities. The ultimate goal is to help Saint George—and towns like it—return to the fundamentals: moving more and reclaim- ing control over health. The team aims to inspire a renewed sense of enthusiasm for physical activity in rural areas, because every community deserves the opportunity to live a healthy and fulfilling life.

A.C.T. FREE: Acting Classes Taught FREE
Pasadena, CA (nationwide)
Team Lead: August Bhattacharya
Team Members: Eddie Crownholm, Jayden Lao, Elijah Loos, Miguel Mendez

A.C.T. FREE will address the youth mental health crisis and lack of civic engagement by offering free acting class- es to kids, helping them build civic skills, social connection, confidence, and essential life skills like eye contact. A.C.T. FREE seeks to partner with community leaders and organizations to reach kids both in-person and nationwide via Zoom. The team believes in their power to help kids develop complex emotional intelligence, learn to express their feelings more fluently, and have a lot of fun. But acting classes can be costly! That’s why A.C.T. FREE will offer Acting Classes Taught FREE!

Agree to Disagree
Tallahassee, FL
Team Lead: Ryan Gans
Team Members: Regina Alfonso, Lauren Binghak, Anne Bristol, Joshua Nover

The Agree to Disagree project aims to create a safe space for members of the Florida State University and Tallahassee community to engage in civil and respectful discourse. We aim to foster respectful disagreements and open, honest conversations where participants can either reach an agreement and propose potential solutions to polarizing topics, or choose to disagree. We hope that by creating this space and promoting this ideology, we can encourage the spread of civil discourse throughout the Tallahassee region, and hopefully beyond, and help stop the extreme polarization of our nation’s current political system.

Arlington Civic Engagement Network
Arlington, VA
Team Lead: Leonardo Sandoli
Team Members: Henry Feldman, Ethan Lin, Roman Sandoli, Aman Singh

The Arlington Civic Engagement Network (ACEN) is a student-led initiative working to make civic education accessible, engaging, and empowering for young people. Through interactive voter tools, media literacy resources, and structured debates grounded in moral psychology, ACEN helps students navigate political issues with confidence and empathy. By connecting students with real-world activism and fostering respectful dialogue, the project aims to build a generation of informed citizens who are ready to participate meaningfully in democracy. ACEN wants to create a welcoming space where all perspectives are valued and civic learning becomes a shared journey.

Bearcat Drop Shop and Tax workshop
Greenwood, SC
Team Lead: Kimberly Sipanela
Team Members: Faith Bassey, Albert Magarire, Dean Makanyire, Moreblessing Upini

The project seeks to create a sustainable, student-led solution that supports students in need while reducing waste on campus. In addition, the project will develop a dedicated space where international students can access clear, accessible tax guidance. In the short term, the team plans to launch the workshop this year, with the long-term aim of making it a standard part of first-year preparation for international students.

Breaking Barriers – Expanding Language Access in Juvenile Justice
Bethesda, MD (multi-state)
Team Lead: Sofia Otero-Diaz
Team Members: Natalia Avila Diaz, Valeria Rumyantseva, Layla Troch

Breaking Barriers – Expanding Language Access in Juvenile Justice is dedicated to ensuring that every family can effectively navigate the justice system, regardless of language, by creating accessible materials and support for Spanish-speaking families. Based in Arlington County, VA, where 15.7% of the population is Hispanic and nearly 25% speak English less than well, the initiative addresses the critical need for clear, bilingual resources. Without such resources, many families struggle to participate meaningfully in the criminal justice process or access diversion programs, leaving youth more vulnerable to harsher consequences. In partnership with the Center for Youth and Family Advocacy, an Arlington-based nonprofit providing peer-driven rehabilitation alternatives to traditional sentencing, the project seeks to expand equitable access to justice and support positive outcomes for young people.

Breathe Well Campaign
San Marcos, TX (multi-state)
Team Lead: Shambhavi Sinha
Team Members: Kristina Carson, Onyeka Ndika, Sri Vatsa Vuddanti

The Breathe Well Campaign aims to combat poor indoor air quality — an invisible yet urgent public health threat — through education, tangible tools, and community engagement. We are distributing over 100 Breathe Well Bags, each filled with reusable resources like activated charcoal pouches, air fresheners, seed kits, and multi- lingual brochures to empower families with immediate, practical solutions. By also donating effective air purifiers to public spaces, launching a multilingual website, and hosting virtual workshops, we are building both access and awareness. The project reaches vulnerable communities in San Marcos, the Bronx, and Los Angeles, areas where poor ventilation and environmental inequality exacerbate health outcomes. The group’s goal is to raise awareness and equip people with resources allowing them to breathe better, live healthier, and take action.

Bridging the Gap Between Voters and Verified Information
Tampa, FL (multi-state)
Team Lead: Zeeshan Ali
Team Members: Felipe Monroy, Akash Nayak, Oscar Portillo-Meza, Brianna Yang

Bridging the Gap Between Voters and Verified Information is a community-driven initiative aimed at equipping voters with clear, accessible tools to understand election processes better and identify credible information online. Through a digital toolkit and social media outreach, the project empowers residents to navigate election-related content with confidence. By fostering media literacy and civic engagement across political, racial, and generation- al lines, the project hopes to build local resilience against misinformation and deepen trust in democratic participation. At its core, this effort affirms that every voter deserves access to the facts that support informed, inclusive, and meaningful participation in our democracy.

Building on to Building-U
Centerton, AR (multi-state)
Team Lead: Yukta Pandiri
Team Members: Kanupriya Goyal, Nadia Mohli, Christian Speicher

The team’s project encourages students to take full advantage of the opportunities available to them. Recognizing that it can be difficult to determine whether a particular field is the right fit, and that many college students incur tens of thousands of dollars in debt while exploring career paths, the initiative seeks to provide a solution. By creating a resource-rich database of opportunities, the project aims to help students make informed decisions about their futures while reducing financial and academic uncertainty.

Can We Talk About the Political and Economic State of the World Right Now?
Troy, MI
Team Lead: Kristin Prakash
Team Members: Shreya Rajhans, Reshmi Senthil Kumar, Jyotsna Shivakumar

Can We Talk About the Political and Economic State of the World Right Now? aims to promote civic engagement and awareness within the community, with a particular focus on younger students. Currently, only 22% of students are at or above a proficient level in civic education. Recognizing the importance of civic responsibility, the initiative seeks to help significantly increase that number. Planned activities include mock trials and civic simulations, followed by debrief sessions, to allow younger students not only to learn about civics but also to experience it through role play in a safe, supportive environment.

Canvas for Civics: Engaging Youth Civically Through Art
Phoenix, AZ (multi-state)
Team Lead: David Guo
Team Members: Jonathan Guo, Aswita Kode, Victoria Vila, Mintra Waram

Canvas for Civics seeks to increase youth civic engagement and media literacy by integrating art and medicine. Observing that traditional methods of engaging young people in civics have had limited impact, the team developed an innovative approach: hosting art competitions centered on civic themes. Through this creative strategy, the initiative aims to encourage youth to engage with civics in an active, hands-on way. Strengthening youth civic knowledge and participation is vital, as it empowers individuals to become informed, active contributors to their communities and democracies.

Canvas the Vote
Tustin, CA (multi-state)
Team Lead: Emily Hsia
Team Members: Angela Li, Jasmine Gama, Divya Gill, Kayla Wang

Canvas the Vote transforms civic engagement into a shared creative experience for young people. Through art, writing, and storytelling, the initiative invites youth to imagine the future they want and recognize the power of their voices to shape it. Designed for those who have ever felt small or unheard, the project demonstrates that their ideas matter and belong. In every mural, letter, and poem, Canvas the Vote seeks to plant seeds of courage, connection, and change.

ChallengeUS
Morgan Hill, CA (nationwide)
Team Lead: Brandon Tran
Team Members: Liam Hoffman, Lauren Thomas, Randy Tran, Alvin Wong

ChallengeUS works to address the marginalization of youth voices from civic and political dialogue by creating an accessible, global platform that elevates their voice and empowers them to grow their civic capacity. To that end, ChallengeUS hosts its signature Future Leaders Competition for high school and college students worldwide to critically engage with real-world political issues, thereby effectively crowdsourcing fresh perspectives and ideas from the next generation of leaders. In doing so, we also aim to provide students with competitive yet educational opportunities to demonstrate their skills and ideas, spotlight and support future leaders through scholarship prizes and award recognition, all while building a global network of student leaders that transcends borders, backgrounds and politics.

CivicLink
Tampa, FL
Team Lead: Reshwant Borra
Team Members: Avaneesh Anand, Rohit Borra, Hasini Nunna, Sai Sadineni

The project supports minority communities by providing clear, accessible election information in multiple languages through the use of a translation app. It also offers tools to help voters fact-check, filter, and sort political information, making it easier to use that information when making voting decisions. Additionally, the initiative plans to launch a personalized, text-based voting information line to give all voters quick access to polling loca- tions and deadlines. Overall, the project aims to strengthen civic engagement and create avenues for every voice to matter and be heard in the democratic process.

Civics Education By Students, For Students
El Dorado Hills, CA (nationwide)
Team Lead: Siya Mishra
Team Members: Isabel Epistelomogi, Mollie Guba, Fatima Nadeem, Sareena Naganand

Civics Education for Students, by Students is a nonpartisan initiative made by the Education Department at
the Institute for Youth in Policy. The project tests the group’s 500-page 8-unit student-designed civics education curriculum, which is based on the idea that students learn best through participating in dialogue and interactive activities. The curriculum will continue to be actively piloted in classrooms (in person and online) and will add new partners across the country. The curriculum is supported by the Institute’s research unit, which has published work about the proven efficacy of these methods as well as the unique need for civics education reform across all 50 states.

CLIP Citizenship – Creating Legal Immigration Pathways
San Fernando Valley, CA
Team Lead:
Team Members: Julieta Rangel, Alexis Mahri Varsobia

After noticing the immediate need for free guidance in the journey towards citizenship, CLIP was created by its founders in 2022. In the United States, receiving citizenship is arduous and generally feared. CLIP works one- on-one with clients, guiding them through the Naturalization process and providing personalized advice on their specific situation. The group also supports the community of immigrants that surrounds us in the Greater Los Angeles region through social media and outreach to businesses. They have worked with a handful of clients and are continuously expanding their reach and influence, with the goal of helping many people.

College Student Financial Survival Guide: Financial Literacy Hub
Philadelphia, PA (multi-state)
Team Lead: Rachelle Gamboa
Team Members: Leeann Brown, Christopher Gamboa, Jessica Park, Milka Yohannes

The lack of accessible and relevant financial resources leaves first-generation and low-income college students, as well as college students more broadly, unprepared to make informed financial decisions, resulting in long-term financial instability and reduced economic mobility. The Financial Literacy Hub aims to equip both high school students and college students with immediate financial planning resources while raising awareness of how higher education is funded in the United States, empowering young adults to engage in civic action to address this systemic barrier to economic mobility and global competitiveness. The team will collaborate with local organizations and leverage both digital and in-person outreach to expand access, promote equity, and foster long-term financial well-being among marginalized and financially independent students.

Community Arts Initiative for Post-COVID Learning Recovery
Boston, MA
Team Lead: Marley Dias
Team Members: Mariah Norman, Najya Gause, Eden Getahun, Gabrielle Mitchell-Bonds

The Community Arts Initiative for Post-COVID Learning Recovery uses arts-based education to help Boston youth of color re-engage with school after pandemic-era learning loss. By combining civic themes with hands-on art workshops and creative kits, the project aims to spark curiosity, build community, and strengthen students’ confidence in their voices and potential. Team members understand that art can be a powerful tool for both academic recovery and civic empowerment. This program aims to create joyful, culturally responsive spaces where students feel seen, valued, and prepared to lead.

Cypress Disaster Democracy
Cypress, TX
Team Lead: Titilope Adams
Team Members: Kaiana Matos, Sydney Robinett, Tarannum Taha

Cypress Disaster Democracy is a youth-led initiative dedicated to building long-term civic power in disas- ter-prone communities across Texas. The project distributes bilingual emergency kits and guides to help families apply for aid, contact their representatives, and prepare for future disasters. With a focus on education, equity, and sustained civic engagement, not just immediate relief, the initiative works to ensure communities are empowered before, during, and long after a disaster. By centering youth leadership, Cypress Disaster Democracy reaches overlooked residents and supports their advocacy for lasting recovery.

Dear Stranger…
Brooklyn, NY
Team Lead: Binting Chen
Team Members: Derek Chen, Elaina Chen, Emily Lin, Selina Lin

Dear Strangers is a mental health initiative for teenagers in New York City, created by teens who have experienced firsthand the pressures of family expectations, specialized high school entry exams, state Regents exams, peer pressure, cyberbullying, and more. The project aims to create safe spaces where teens can share what’s been troubling them. Through anonymous projects set up in public libraries across the city, Dear Strangers offers young people from diverse backgrounds a supportive outlet to breathe easier by relieving stress and feeling heard.

Digital Harmony
Antioch, TN
Team Lead: Toluwakitan Akinsola
Team Members: Nicole Appiah, Laila Barnes, Valerie Hernandez, Mayte Marchan

Digital Harmony is a youth-led project helping communities, especially teens, elders, and underserved families stay safe, confident, and informed in today’s digital world. The team runs interactive workshops, creates accessible toolkits, and partners with schools and libraries to teach scam defense, digital wellness, tech access, and civic tech skills. Their mission extends beyond protecting people from online harm; they aim to help communities leverage technology to tackle challenges and drive change. Believing that tech should empower everyone, Digital Harmony is working to make digital safety and access a basic right for all.

Disconnected
Boulder, CO (multi-state)
Team Lead: Benjamin Forman
Team Members: Benjamin Albuisson, Valentin Melo Jr, Kei Obata, Sean Shannon

The documentary Disconnected: Life in a Digital Reality, produced by a team of college students, explores how social media impacts the mental health and daily lives of young people. The film follows a one-month social media detox, interviews with experts and families, and the lived experiences of teens navigating a tech-saturated world. At the same time, the team is developing a school-based curriculum with workshops on mindfulness, peer dialogue, and reclaiming intentional time. The goal is to spark youth-led change, empowering students to rethink their relationship with technology and take agency over how they spend their lives.

Empowering Immigrant Health in North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC
Team Lead: Esther Ghim
Team Members: Isabel Cantu-Melo, Diana Cantu-Melo, Lucas Ghim, Zaina Shawarbeh

The project, Empowering Immigrant Health in North Carolina, aims to dismantle the healthcare barriers faced by the state’s immigrant communities. By providing multilingual resources and conducting community outreach, this initiative directly addresses challenges like language access, cultural stigma, and financial constraints that may prevent individuals in our community from seeking and accessing healthcare. Ultimately, the project hopes to empower immigrant families to manage their health proactively, fostering a future where all communities can access the care they deserve, regardless of language, income, or immigration status.

Fostering Environmental Responsibility in the Next Generation
Covington, VA
Team Lead: Peyton Broughman
Team Members: Joowon Chung, Elijah Halterman, Taylor Jenkins, Ezekiel Saville

This project cultivates gardens within the local community and school system to promote sustainability, healthy living, and environmental awareness. It aims to encourage students and residents to connect with nature, learn where their food comes from, and develop a sense of responsibility for the environment. By creating and maintaining these gardens, the initiative seeks to strengthen community bonds and inspire long-term positive change in attitudes toward nutrition and conservation. Ultimately, the project strives to make a lasting impact by cultivating both greener spaces and more informed, engaged citizens.

Fridge of Plenty Miami
Miami, FL
Team Lead: Demi Trimm
Team Members: Leslie Candelario, Jonathan Charles, Maria Torres, Kean Jean

Fridge of Plenty Miami is a community-led initiative providing free, fresh, and rescued food to low-income and food-insecure communities. Through partnerships with local organizations, food farms, and volunteers, the team will bridge the gap between areas facing food insecurity and the broader community. Our grassroots approach fosters sustainability, builds connections, and expands access to healthy options. We are investing in a future where food justice is the norm, not the exception.

Future Leaders in Activism & Government (FLAG)
Vernon Hills, IL
Team Lead: Ashva Ramesh
Team Members: Claire Choi, Aditya Iyer, Arushi Panda, Annika Talaty

Future Leaders in Activism – Government (FLAG) is a grassroots organization that empowers young people, especially from immigrant and underrepresented communities in Northern Illinois, to meaningfully engage with democracy. Through middle school civics workshops, partnerships and fundraisers with immigrant legal aid organizations, and voter registration drives, we have the objective of making civic participation accessible and relevant in a time of growing political instability. FLAG works to become a permanent bridge between youth and local government for years to come by understanding the increasing need for youth to not only become voters, but active leaders who ensure our democracy is accountable and accessible for the people.

Futures Through Finance
Washington, DC
Team Lead: Nicholas Premysler
Team Members: Santiago Gonzalez-Winthrop, Aleksandre Taktakishvili, Francisco Barretto-Guillermo, Michael Santomauro

The Futures through Finance Project aims to help educate DC residents on financial literacy. The team will devel- op a website and curriculum, and partner with DC organizations and institutions for advertising. As a culminating activity, the Futures through Finance project will also host free financial literacy online courses.

Generation Vote Alief
Alief, TX
Team Lead: Azeemah Sadiq
Team Members: Temiloluwa Fagbola, Jennifer Nnabugwu, Christabel Onwuemelu, Abdulrahman Sadiq

Generation Vote Alief is a youth-led initiative founded to build a lasting culture of civic engagement in the Alief community, where historically low voter turnout has been shaped by systemic barriers, widespread misinformation, and disenfranchisement. The project focuses on fostering open, accessible conversations about voting, civic duty, and the importance of participation in local elections. The team aims to shift the narrative around who voting is for by creating welcoming spaces where community members, especially youth, can see themselves as active changemakers. By building civic education and community power, they hope to inspire a more engaged and empowered Alief community.

Girls Who Lead!
Skokie, IL
Team Lead: Cherie Animashaun
Team Members: Chelsea Acheampong, Carolina Nazario, Erin Ofosu-Appiah, Sarah Shahed,

Girls Who Lead, founded by Cherie Animashaun through Her Rising Initiative, is a nationwide, youth-led program democratizing access to leadership, policy, and business education for girls. Through local chapters in high schools and colleges, students are trained to mentor younger peers and lead community-based workshops on civic engagement, advocacy, and entrepreneurship. To date, they have 80+ chapters globally. By grounding policy education in sisterhood and service, Girls Who Lead is building a more informed, inclusive democracy from the ground up.

Govvy: The Future of Youth Civic Engagement in Northeast Ohio
Cleveland, OH
Team Lead: Imre Huss
Team Members: Gavin Savett, Ethan Khorana, Marko Raska, Amogh Tripathi

The team will launch their pilot of Govvy, a civic engagement platform that helps citizens, especially young people, in Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, and Shaker Heights, OH, connect more easily with local government. Govvy features a mobile-friendly design, AI-powered bill summaries, and interactive tools that make civic information more accessible and easier to act on. The pilot aims to increase youth participation in local democracy by making civic life more understandable, interactive, and inclusive.

Healthcare For Her (HFH): Strengthening Women’s Access To Healthcare Services
Sacramento, CA
Team Lead: Srinika Kanneganti
Team Members: Aekari Chien, Hana Haque, Sarah Hood, Soumaya Kartoum

Healthcare For Her (HFH) seeks to mitigate the negative healthcare experiences that individuals who are assigned female at birth (AFAB) often struggle with by teaching them skills like self-advocacy and healthcare literacy that will help them feel comfortable reaching out and enable them to fight for the healthcare they deserve. HFH’s founding team plans to host a series of hands-on workshops, educational seminars, and community initiatives (e.g., menstrual product drives) that educate AFAB individuals on their healthcare rights and what to do when facing situations such as breast cancer, menopause, and domestic violence. In short, HFH seeks to transform the complex world of women’s healthcare through education, equipping them with the skills they need to have better healthcare experiences. Their goal is to make the medical industry more equitable, and leveling the playing field starts with educating the players.

Healthy Salad Meals
Goleta, CA
Team Lead: Jackson Simmons-Furlati
Team Members: Yaneli Donate Martinez, Cash Herrick, Jack Hyatt, Porter Murray

Healthy Salad Meals is a student-led urban farming initiative that grows fresh, organic lettuce in hydroponic towers on school campuses and turns it into 100 free, plastic-free salad meals each week. Born from the need for dignified, healthy food options at local food banks, the project partners with school cafeterias to reduce carbon emissions, lower plastic use, and engage students in sustainable food systems. It’s a hands-on, collaborative effort between the Environmental Club, Culinary, and Leadership teams. Now expanding, the program offers grants, training, and mentorship to help other schools launch their towers—funded in part by the Peace Salad, a restaurant partnership. The project was recently featured at the UN Ocean Conference as a model for youth-led systems change in climate, food, and ocean justice.

Help Desk: Benefit Booth
Durham, NC
Team Lead: Ariana Vaida
Team Members: Hannah Auddino, Austin Brown, Sai Kurup, Daliya Rizvi

Based on Help Desk’s current work in the social determinants of health sphere since 2019, the Benefit Booth is a direct response to one of the most common needs identified in low-income individuals and families – food insecurity. This student-led model utilizes undergraduate volunteers to guide individuals seeking assistance with applications or information about receiving food assistance, specifically SNAP enrollment. Building on prior findings of overlapping social risk factors among patients, the project seeks to conduct a broader social needs screening and provide referrals to appropriate community resources.

HelpDart: Connecting PASSION with PURPOSE
Jacksonville, FL (multi-state)
Team Lead: Sohan Patel
Team Members: Raphael Clutter, Raina Dalal, Shivan Patel, Maya Schultz

HelpDart is a youth centered volunteer platform that connects high school students with service opportunities they are passionate about. By matching teens with causes they care about whether it’s coding, animals, or health- care, community service is transformed from a graduation requirement into a meaningful, enjoyable experience. HelpDart also simplifies logistics with features like built-in hour tracking, helping students and nonprofits alike. Our goal is to create a culture where volunteering feels empowering, not obligatory, and where teens find purpose through service.

Improving Civic Engagement and Education Through the Incorporation of Media Literacy
Oklahoma City, OK (multi-state)
Team Lead: Delnaz Kazemi
Team Members: Lauren McDowell, Tiziana Mongu, David Seaton

“Improving Civic Engagement and Education Through the Incorporation of Media Literacy” aims to address the knowledge gap among young people regarding mis- and disinformation, particularly in the context of politics and elections. The project aims to address the harm caused by a lack of media literacy and political education, leading to uninformed or misinformed voting and other political decision-making. The main project activity will be to tackle the problems identified above is an 8-week-long virtual program for high school students. The program will include working on projects in teams, listening and learning from guest speakers, and the opportunity to network and grow professionally, all while learning the necessary skills to become an informed citizen.

Iroquois County Community Dinner
Sheldon, IL
Team Lead: Patricia Mathu
Team Members: Bec Kaplan, Anya Kaplan-Hartnett, Helen Shanker, Martina Silberman

Iroquois County Community Dinners will be a monthly dinner series to foster bipartisan dialogue about agriculture and Illinois food systems. Everyone deserves culturally-relevant and nutritious food — but the current agri- food system often hurts people, planet, and communities. By hosting these events in the heart of the corn belt, we will meet others doing important, principled work to build a better food system.

Justice in Action
Newark, NJ
Team Lead: Oluwademilade Adegoke
Team Members: Mariam Diambou

Justice in Action aims to educate and empower youth to recognize and challenge injustices and their communities through civic engagement and collaboration. The goal is to create a space where young people can learn about social justice issues, build leadership skills, and work together to promote equity and inclusion. By focusing on understanding systems and uplifting unheard voices, we hope to inspire lasting change. This project welcomes everyone who believes in fairness and wants to be part of building a more just and compassionate future.

Know Your Rights, Know Your Power: Bronx Immigrant Civic Circles
Bronx, New York
Team Lead: Fatoumata Barry
Team Members: Souadou Bah, Yero Barry, Ticia Cudjoe

Know Your Rights, Know Your Power: Bronx Immigrant Civic Circles creates safe and inclusive spaces where immigrant youth and families can learn about their rights and build the confidence to participate in civic life. Through multilingual workshops, storytelling sessions, and creative resources, the project aims to reduce fear and confusion around civic engagement. Bronx Ballot Buddies will bring information directly into trusted community spaces, to empower Bronx immigrants to see themselves as essential voices in shaping their neighborhoods. The project celebrates diversity and helps ensure everyone feels informed, valued, and connected.

Little Citizens Big Voices
Old Bridge, NJ (multi-state)
Team Lead: Jayden Junaid
Team Members: Haya Awad, Raphael Capangpangan, Om Pandya, Aditi Singh

Little Citizens, Big Voices empowers children and families to explore democracy in fun, hands-on ways. Recognizing that civic disengagement starts long before age 18, opportunities are created for young people—especially those from immigrant and underrepresented communities- to participate in mock elections, policy discussions, and interactive civic events. The project includes in-person Civic Engagement Days and a virtual Civic Literacy Hub co-developed with The Mirror Effects to make civics accessible, exciting, and community-rooted, by plant- ing the seeds of civic confidence early, and building a new generation of informed, engaged, and lifelong voters.

M.E. Voting Database and Guides
Houston, TX
Team Lead: Sunny Pu
Team Members: Tina Bu, Abbie Nguyen, Sindhu Pitla

The M.E. Voting Database and Guides project is dedicated to making information about local candidates and their positions on key social issues accessible and easy to understand. By providing translated voter guides and digital tools, the initiative addresses the language barriers that prevent many adolescents and non-English-speak- ing communities from making informed voting decisions or fully participating in civic processes. Through translating and simplifying candidate information, M.E. Voting Database and Guides aims to empower more young people and multilingual voters to engage in democracy and support candidates who reflect their values.

Make it Make Cents
Morrow, GA
Team Lead: Alison Conteh
Team Members: Alison Tran, Vania Dang-Dao, Yanizet Howell

Make it Make Cents is a youth-led initiative dedicated to providing financial literacy workshops within the community. Its goal is to equip adolescents with the knowledge to make smart, informed decisions about money, whether through budgeting, saving, or investing. Beyond education, the project creates opportunities for young people to step into leadership roles in finance-related fields. By empowering youth with strong financial skills, Make it Make Cents aims to set them on a path toward long-term success and stability.

Melting Pot: Unsilencing Immigrant Voices
Haymarket, VA
Team Lead: Eva Dubey
Team Members: Neha Badvel, Safia Elmi, Hannah Kim, Kathleen Le

Our project works on battling the lack of proper education on immigration policy and overall rights and freedoms. By increasing education, we increase the possibility for immigrants and everyone else to feel safe in practicing their legal rights and getting involved in politics. Political mobilization is a great way for every American resident to get involved and we want to foster and assist that.

Moments That Matter
Laurel, MD
Team Lead: Karrington Harried
Team Members: Navan Eiermann, McKinley Gray, Nicolasa Gutierrez, Alexia Rosendary

The project seeks to address the issue of senior isolation, a challenge faced by many older adults—particularly those in retirement homes who may go weeks or even months without meaningful interaction. This lack of connection can have severe health impacts, including depression and memory loss. To combat this, the initiative connects students with seniors for regular, purposeful conversations and activities. These interactions help reduce loneliness among seniors while fostering empathy, communication skills, and a deeper understanding of older generations among students.

NACER
Tacoma, WA
Team Lead: Parv Mehta
Team Members: Prithvi Dasan, Paulina Hoang

Project NACER aims to ensure that every young person, particularly BIPOC and low-income young people, is aware of the harms of AI and Deepfakes and how they can protect themselves against them. Additionally, Project NACER helps young people understand how they can use AI to their benefit. Project NACER aims to empower every student worldwide to use AI effectively and safely.

New Voters: Nonpartisan Education Amongst Increasing Political Polarization
Paoli, PA (multi-state)
Team Lead: Ashleigh McKenna
Team Members: Vibha Besagi, Annie Chen, Phoebe Chen, Namrata Venkatesan

The New Voters’ voter registration resources will be expanded to include a political discussion toolkit that trains high school students on how to effectively navigate bias in the media and conversations with their peers. This toolkit will be a one-stop shop for high school political discourse – including guidelines for teachers, school-wide voting resources for administration, and (most importantly) resources for high schoolers to effectively engage with their peers and the world when discussing politics. The goal is to produce informed, passionate students who will continue to be lifelong learners and civic participants respectfully and productively.

Nourish & Nurture: Community Fridges and Gardens for Sustainable Food Access
Houston, TX
Team Lead: Erica Carranza
Team Members: Gerardo Diaz

Nourish & Nurture is a youth-led initiative dedicated to improving food access and reducing waste through community fridges, gardens, and composting systems. The pilot project in Alief, Houston, will distribute fresh produce and donated meals to neighbors facing food insecurity while composting unusable food to support future harvests. Grounded in dignity, sustainability, and mutual aid, the initiative seeks to transform how communities care for one another and to plant the seeds of long-term food justice.

Oath Holiday on the DPSCD Calendar
Detroit, MI
Team Lead: Nabiha Chowdhury
Team Members: Shadiya Begum, Shauda Islam, Nafisa Tazrin, Nabila Wahid

The project seeks to have Eid, the Muslim religious holiday, recognized on the Detroit Public Schools Community District calendar. The initiative will build a coalition to advocate for reforms that ensure all students feel valued and heard. Recognizing Eid upholds an important aspect of the Muslim faith, which would also support greater inclusion of other minority religious observances within the district. Securing Eid on the calendar for the 2026–27 school year would spark broader discussion and advocacy around the recognition of major holidays for all religious groups.

OptiPack
Queens, NY
Team Lead: Anuva Wardah
Team Members: Aqib Patwary, Fahmia Haque, Farhan Mukit, Maximilian Rodriguez-Situ

The OptiPack team believes that environmental action is a civic responsibility. OptiPack is an AI-powered platform that helps companies reduce plastic waste by designing smarter, more sustainable packaging. The project aligns with the mission of the Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness by demonstrating how young people can leverage technology to address systemic problems and create a tangible impact. Through OptiPack the team aims to make sustainability more accessible to businesses while highlighting that civic leadership can take many forms, including innovation and design. Beyond reducing waste, the initiative seeks to build a future where democratic values—such as responsibility, collaboration, and community—guide solutions to global challenges.

Our Turn, NYC
Astoria, NY
Team Lead: Amena Mohamed
Team Members: Shuhada Khanam, Chamely Uddin, Yaretzi Vidals Hernandez

Our Turn, NYC is dedicated to engaging young people in political conversations and challenging the misconception that politics and government are irrelevant to their lives. The project aims to transform voting patterns among New Yorkers aged 18–24, the currently lowest-turnout demographic, by offering workshops on election-related information, voter registration booths, and safe spaces for healthy, productive dialogue about democracy. This project aims to motivate other youth to follow suit, educating their friends and communities while sharing the knowledge they’ve gained with their household adults.

Our Voice, Our Vote: Teen Voter Roundtable & Voter Registration
Chicago, IL
Team Lead: Dylan Ford
Team Members: Bryce Mason, Gavin Campbell, Lunaire Ford, Joshua Terry

Our Voice, Our Vote seeks to empower youth to become informed and active voters, encouraging them to participate in elections as soon as they are eligible. The initiative engages young people through fun, dynamic, and impactful activities designed to spark interest in the voting process. By emphasizing that voting shapes the future, Our Voice, Our Vote aims to ensure young people have a meaningful say in the decisions that affect their lives and communities.

Peach: Planting Future Stones, Cultivating Today’s Scholars
Los Angeles, CA
Team Lead: Tessa Aguilar
Team Members: Yosor Alwan, Sharon Kim, Erika Ky, Katherine Llave

Peach is a new generation of critically and analytically engaged scholars who are enabled to challenge dominant narratives and make more informed decisions together. We promote interdisciplinary social science education to cultivate informed, critically engaged individuals who understand the intricacies of today’s challenges. Because the world isn’t one-dimensional, our learning shouldn’t be either.

Pencils not Prisons: Breaking the Cycle Through Education
Elizabeth, NJ
Team Lead: Mumtaz Cooper
Team Members: Rwan Mashrah

Pencils Not Prisons is a youth-led initiative dedicated to expanding educational opportunities and civic engagement for justice-impacted students. Its mission is to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline by advancing restorative practices, ensuring equitable access to resources, and advocating for policies that prioritize education over punishment. Through storytelling, advocacy, and collaboration with local communities, the project works to reimagine what justice and opportunity can look like, especially for those historically excluded. The team believes that every young person deserves to be seen, valued, and strives to equip youth with the tools to shape their futures.

Project 2028
Baton Rouge, LA
Team Lead: Josiah Hardy
Team Members: Jaden Armstrong, Raynah Hardy, Michael Hilton, Spencer Thrower

Project 2028 is a youth-led initiative that empowers teens to lead, advocate, and vote for a more equitable future. It equips young people with the tools to create change in their communities through civic action, advocacy work, and leadership. Their goal is to cultivate a generation that is informed, engaged, and prepared to vote in 2028 and beyond.

Project Coin
Bayonne, NJ (multi-state)
Team Lead: Olivia Sobolewski
Team Members: Adam Gertskis, Anna Lau, Sophia Macasaet, Areej Zahra

Founded in Hudson County, Project Coin is a student-led initiative centered around empowering youth with practical and engaging resources that combine financial education with a civic-oriented approach. Project Coin offers engaging workshops that cover topics ranging from personal financial literacy and entrepreneurship to pub- lic speaking and leadership. Since its founding in 2024, Project Coin has run two successful programs in Hudson County with the Jersey City Public Schools and Hoboken Public Library, reaching 160+ student engagements. Project Coin equips today’s youth with the tools to make informed decisions and to understand the systems that shape them.

Project Demos (dēmos)
Powell, OH
Team Lead: Tarun Batchu
Team Members: Camryn Harris, Benjamin Kurian, Tony Li, William Wang

Demos is a youth-led civic engagement initiative aimed at amplifying student voices in local decision-making. Through community forums, policy workshops, and collaborative campaigns, the goal of the project is to empower high school students to engage directly with city councils. Demos focuses on practical solutions to local challenges by fostering meaningful connections between youth and public officials while creating a replicable model for sustained student involvement across the state of Ohio.

Project Second Chance: Destigmatizing Incarceration and Assisting Former Inmates with Reintegration into the Pittsburgh Community
Pittsburgh, PA
Team Lead: Monroe Law
Team Members: Halle Beatty, Alexandre Chan, Anika Jadia, Christopher Wu

Project Second Chance is a student-led initiative focused on criminal justice reform and the reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals into the Pittsburgh community. Through storytelling, resource-sharing, and youth advocacy, the project seeks to destigmatize incarceration and address the systemic barriers that contribute to recidivism. Key actions include conducting interviews with current or formerly incarcerated individuals, hosting public storytelling events, and creating a pamphlet and website with reentry resources. Project Second Chance centers empathy and amplifies unheard voices to build a more just and inclusive future for all.

Project YCAN
Detroit, MI (nationwide)
Team Lead: Hyunsuh Choi
Team Members: Justin Joseph, Matthew So, Haihan Tai

Project YCAN: The Youth Caregiver Action Network supports youth caregivers – young people who provide unpaid care for family members in households affected by illness – across Detroit and beyond. This often-overlooked group remains invisible in data, underrepresented in policy, and underserved in schools, healthcare systems, and mental health spaces, even as their well-being is at risk. Through three core pillars: mental health support, educational resources, and youth-led civic empowerment, Project YCAN will create spaces for peer connection and storytelling, distribute essential tools, and build advocacy platforms to address systemic gaps. With these efforts, the team hopes to shed light on this invisible caregiving population and serve as a reliable bridge to collective recognition and support.

Project: S.E.E.D (Sustain, Educate, Environmental, Develop)
Morrow, GA
Team Lead: Rachel Onile
Team Members: Noah Henley, Mercy Onile, Timia Times

In a low-income community where vacant plots of land sit unused and families face limited access to fresh food, green space, and awareness of the issue’s broader impact, this project aims to create a sustainable solution. The team plans to transform a vacant plot into community gardens that provide fresh produce, expand green spaces, and engage residents—especially youth—in learning how local growing can strengthen and heal the community. To achieve this, the initiative will host workshops with local youth organizations and community members, focusing on sustainable environmental redevelopment, training 20+ local youth in garden care and environmental stewardship, and reaching over 100 individuals in person and 300+ through digital content to amplify its impact.

Rooted and Rising
NYC, NY
Team Lead: Genevieve Jumelles
Team Members: Danna Garces, Amaris Pearman, Diannely Castillo, Chasity Harris

The project aims to raise awareness about the effects of gentrification in Washington Heights and empower res- idents to stay informed and connected. It seeks to create spaces for open dialogue, share resources, and amplify local voices so that community members feel heard and supported. By fostering inclusion and highlighting the neighborhood’s cultural identity, the initiative works to ensure long-time residents remain valued participants in the changes shaping their community.

Rooted in Place: A Creative Response to Gentrification in Southwest Atlanta Atlanta, GA
Team Lead: Brooklyn Momon
Team Members: Loren Muwonge, Sasha Williams

Rooted in Place is a youth-led project that uses dance, storytelling, and civic education to help Atlanta residents better understand and respond to the impacts of gentrification. Through workshops, performances, and community gatherings, we aim to celebrate the cultural history of Black neighborhoods while empowering residents with tools to stay informed and involved in local planning decisions. Our goal is to build a stronger sense of connection to place, so that all community members—especially youth and elders—feel valued, heard, and equipped to shape their futures. This project is about honoring our roots while growing together toward a more just and inclusive city.

Rooted Voices
Dallas, GA
Team Lead: Amaya Williams
Team Members: Jordan Morris

Rooted Voices is dedicated to amplifying the stories and experiences of foster youth and young people from underserved communities. Through storytelling, mentorship, and wellness pop-up events, the project creates safe spaces where youth feel heard, valued, and supported. Rather than focusing solely on challenges, Rooted Voices works to build bridges of understanding, spark empathy, and inspire meaningful action. At its core, the initiative is about planting seeds of hope and helping every young person recognize that they truly belong.

ROOTS: Reclaiming Our Outdoors Through Stories
Whittier, CA
Team Lead: Briana Ancona
Team Members: Brenda Ceja, Melanie Iraheta- Aguilar, Khadijha Marks, Julian Sanchez

ROOTS is a civic education initiative designed to engage Whittier and Santa Fe Springs residents in environmental Stewardship, narrative change, and community building through nature and art. Through three photo walks and a cyanotype workshop, participants will engage with their environment, document their sightings, and reflect on what they would like to see in their cities concerning environmental justice and transit equity. Neighbors often feel disempowered and disconnected from local decision-making processes; ROOTS offers community members a meaningful entry point to civic engagement by utilizing art, nature, and community building as a powerful form of advocacy and agency in our culminating gallery and resource fair.

SAVE the Polls: A Campaign to Educate Voters on Requests to Verify Citizenship
Vienna, VA
Team Lead: Sadie Goldman
Team Members: Elena Gilleo, Reese Paradise, Elise Stuckwisch

SAVE the Polls: A Campaign to Educate Voters on Requests to Verify Citizenship is a project designed to counter new voter ID laws that could intimidate or confuse voters during and after Virginia’s upcoming gubernatorial election in November. The initiative aims to raise awareness about voter suppression tactics and ensure that every eligible citizen in the state can fully exercise their right to vote. The team will engage the community through public meetings, a dedicated website, and a strong social media presence, sharing factual, evidence-based information rather than opinion. Given the community’s history with voter suppression, this effort is especially important in safeguarding voter participation and protecting democratic access.

SEAT Community Engagement Fellowship
Austin, TX
Team Lead: Christianna Thomas
Team Members: Grace Ding, Ngoc Ho, Ayaan Moledina, Sumya Paruchuri

The SEAT Community Engagement Fellowship aims to recruit 20-30 students from across Texas to teach them how to be advocates in their community, culminating in a capstone project. Through the political education portion of the fellowship, students will learn about specific issues that occur in schools and cities to better under- stand why problems exist and inspire ideas for their project. Through meetings with their assigned mentor and chats with experts, students will create a capstone project that aims to resolve or start a movement around a social justice issue in their community, like improving school response to ICE raids or advocating for web filters that don’t censor important information.

Second Pulse
Irvine, CA
Team Lead: Nimeesha Komatireddy
Team Members: Serena Chan, Sarah Chan, Angeline Doan, Kirana Lai

Second Pulse is dedicated to improving healthcare access and education for first-generation immigrant communities. The project provides multilingual resources, health literacy workshops, and culturally sensitive support to help families navigate the U.S. healthcare system with confidence. By building bridges between communities and care, they hope to create a more inclusive, informed, and empowered healthcare experience for all. At its core, Second Pulse is about listening, understanding, and uplifting voices that are too often overlooked.

STEM to the Polls: Empowering Informed Young Voters Nationwide
Orlando, FL (multi-state)
Team Lead: Leah McAskill
Team Members: Sachi Gosal, Ashton Jadotte, Tony Liu, Sofia Park Jadotte

STEM to the Polls is dedicated to empowering young voters aged 14-29 by equipping them with essential STEM literacy and critical thinking skills. Our project provides accessible, evidence-based resources through an interactive website and engaging social media content, helping young voters navigate complex policy issues like climate change and public health. The goal is to foster a generation of informed, active participants in democracy who can confidently make choices aligned with facts, ultimately leading to better policy decisions and a more engaged electorate nationwide. This initiative focuses on building understanding and encouraging thoughtful civic participation for a brighter future.

Students For Science
Boston, MA (multi-state)
Team Lead: Grace Yang
Team Members: Isabelle Dibner, Frank Granda, Sarah Wilme

Students for Science is a youth-led organization committed to ensuring that science serves people and uncovers important truths. The group believes science should guide policymaking and remain free from political influence. It advocates for science-informed government oversight of institutions, the separation of science from misinformation, and the rejection of science used to divide or to harm.

Students Lead, Students Act
Mountain View, CA (multi-state)
Team Lead:
Team Members: Abhinav Aggarwal, Riley Devereaux, Ulyana Kubini, Andrew Zweiback

Students Lead, Students Act aims to equip immigrant and limited English proficiency (LEP) children with the knowledge and confidence to participate in the democratic systems that shape their lives actively. Through meetings and live demonstrations, the initiative seeks to inspire community members to take meaningful actions, large or small, that can influence policy locally and beyond. Its goal is to transform voter education from a concept that is merely taught into an experience that is both lived and felt in every community.

Sugar Land Youth Civics Core Program
Sugar Land, Texas
Team Lead: Aniruddh Yerramilli
Team Members: Naman Bagdi, Akhil Chamarti, Aditya Juluru, Suhas Vemuri

The project will organize youth-led town halls with different levels of local government, giving students a chance to share their ideas and take action through hands-on civics projects. At these events, young people will have the opportunity to meet and talk with government officials, ask questions, and learn more about how public service works. The goal is to give students a strong introduction to civics, something many have not experienced before, while helping them grow as leaders, build their resumes, and make real changes on the issues that matter most to them.

Symptoms to Stories
Tulsa, OK
Team Lead: Harini Senthil
Team Members: Hannah Flaherty, Kaytlin Flaherty, Arin Tripathy, Nyla Tripathy

Symptoms to Stories seeks to bridge the gap between public health awareness and the accessibility of local com- munity resources, with a focus on improving health literacy among marginalized communities. In Tulsa, a 13-year difference in life expectancy between ZIP codes reflects inequitable access to medical care, food insecurity, historic economic underinvestment, and a high prevalence of chronic health conditions. The project plans to present local public health data in interactive, accessible, and multilingual formats through online platforms and community events. Its goal is to empower individuals to better understand and apply health information, ultimately working to reduce health disparities.

Talk & Thrive
Lawrenceville, GA
Team Lead: Amari Castell-Jackson
Team Members: Londyn Agee, Alexander Hay, Toluwani Olasupo-Akinola, Robert Thomas

Talk & Thrive focuses on teen mental health by creating safe, peer-led spaces where students can openly share their experiences and learn about self-care. The initiative builds supportive communities through wellness circles and the distribution of self-care kits. By fostering honest conversation and meaningful connections, it aims to reduce stigma and remind teens they are not alone. Talk & Thrive works to ensure every student feels seen, respect- ed, and equipped with the tools they need to thrive.

Technology Youth Empowerment (TYE)
Fairfax, VA (multi-state)
Team Lead: Rida Karim
Team Members: Zara Karim, Donovan Brennan

Technology Youth Empowerment (TYE) brings hands-on STEM education to K to 8 students through student-led, curiosity-first learning experiences. Trained high school mentors teach interactive workshops rooted in local communities, helping students explore science through their questions. The initiative serves Title I schools and underserved areas both in person and through take-home STEM kits and virtual challenges. The project’s goal is to make STEM joyful, relevant, and empowering for every child.

TechPals
Nashua, NH (multi-state)
Team Lead: Aadi Kulkarni
Team Members: Hannah Jacob, Neha Kachappilly, Ameya Kharade, Aaron Kunnikuru

TechPals is dedicated to helping older adults build confidence with technology. The project hosts hands-on workshops that teach seniors how to use devices, navigate the internet safely, and stay connected with loved ones. Its mission is to foster mutual understanding between generations and ensure that everyone can benefit from the digital world. By making technology more accessible and less intimidating, TechPals aims to create a kinder, more connected community for all.

Tennessee Student Equity Leadership Board
Nashville, TN
Team Lead: Eesha Nachnani
Team Members: Sophie Oliver, Raeya Chourasia, Saawan Duvvuri

The project aims to increase voter turnout among AAPI, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, and low-income communities in Tennessee—one of the states with the lowest voter participation in the country. Through voter registration drives and both in-person and virtual events, the initiative seeks to raise awareness about the power of civic engagement. Its focus is on creating accessible, inclusive spaces where underrepresented voices feel informed, val- ued, and empowered. Grounded in the belief that every vote matters and every voter should feel seen, the project emphasizes the urgency of participation at a time when democratic systems face significant strain.

The Beacon Project
Boston, MA
Team Lead: Juan Wulff
Team Members: Luke Callanan, Zach Marion-Brown, Nolan Seebeck

The Beacon Project empowers low-efficacy communities, often immigrant and low-income, in Boston to participate in local elections by making voter education more accessible, welcoming, and engaging. Through pop-up events, multilingual outreach, and digital storytelling, the initiative works to spark civic confidence and create spaces where all voices feel heard and valued. Its goal is not only to register voters, but also to build lasting trust in the democratic process. By connecting residents with the issues and candidates that matter most to them, The Beacon Project strives to make local politics and civic engagement more inclusive and meaningful for everyone.

The BioGlitter Initiative
Anchorage, AK
Team Lead: Emily Brubaker
Team Members: Annabelle Slinker, Mackenzie Elliott, Charlotte Nelson, Sylvie Wailand

The BioGlitter Initiative was created to raise awareness about the dangers of plastic glitter and promote biodegradable alternatives. Through education, advocacy, and creative projects, the initiative seeks to eliminate plastic glitter from Anchorage schools and, ultimately, across the state of Alaska, protecting both human health and the environment from the harmful effects of microplastics. Using glitter as a relatable example, the project helps community members understand what microplastics are and demonstrates how everyone has the power to make positive changes that benefit the environment.

The GerryBuster
Scarsdale, NY (multi-state)
Team Lead: Ananya Shah
Team Members: Serena Pallan, Zubin Rajesh, Spoorthi Vedula, Angelina Wang

Gerrymandering undermines the democratic process by manipulating electoral district boundaries for political advantages, fostering distrust in institutions meant to uphold democracy. While many are aware of gerrymandering, few understand the methods behind it or how to detect it. The project enhances current gerrymandering identification methods through advanced mathematical techniques and original research, while also working to increase community awareness and understanding of gerrymandering.

The JOY Project
Atlanta, GA
Team Lead: Safa Bagwan
Team Members: Nihitha Ambati, Arya Kalbhor, Shruthi Medicherla, Eva Rout

The JOY Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting teenage mental health. This initiative focus- es on creating a tailored support system for teenage mothers, aiming to increase access to resources and reduce financial burdens. In partnership with teen-mom facilities and clinics, the project assembles and distributes care packages containing diapers, formula, onesies, baby wipes, lotion, and hand-written cards.

The Learn AAPI History Project
Princeton, NJ
Team Lead: David Jen
Team Members: Joelle Lai, Zoe Nuland, Angela Sun, Shasha Peddaboina

Learn AAPI History Project is dedicated to teaching and advocating for the inclusion of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history in K–12 classrooms. The project strives to ensure that every student sees themselves represented both within and beyond the classroom. Through educational resources, children’s books, workshops, and political advocacy, Learn AAPI History has reached more than 5,000 students and educators nationwide, fostering a more inclusive and accurate understanding of history.

The Movement Street
Flint, MI (multi-state)
Team Lead: Lyric Amodia
Team Members: Sydney Fulton, Shania McClendon, John Tucker, Audrey Watt

The Movement Street reimagines community service as a joyful, creative, and accessible experience, particularly for Black, Brown, and underserved communities. Its mission is to raise volunteerism in America beyond the national average of 23% by meeting people where they are and removing barriers to participation. Through events, civic engagement, and wellness-based service, the organization empowers individuals to become architects of their restoration and to build ecosystems of care that make service a natural, everyday part of life. Grounded in the be- lief that lasting change is possible when people feel seen, supported, and empowered, The Movement Street works to create stronger, more connected communities.

The National VOTE (Voter Outreach, Turnout, and Empowerment) Movement
East Walpole, MA (nationwide)
Team Lead: Sanya Nadeem
Team Members: Annie Maalouf, Marshall Romero

The V.O.T.E. Movement is a youth-led initiative dedicated to closing the engagement gap in local elections by empowering high school students to lead civic outreach in their communities. Through its national Town Ambassador Program, students create and distribute nonpartisan voter brochures, organize grassroots events, and partner with schools, libraries, and local officials to ensure every resident has a clear and accessible path to participation. The initiative seeks to build more than awareness—it strives to foster a culture of civic leadership in which young people see themselves as agents of change long before they are eligible to vote. Its ultimate goal is a more in- formed, inclusive democracy—one town, one student, one election at a time.

The Richmond Region Childhood Foundations Project
Midlothian, VA
Team Lead: Lira Roome
Team Members: Molly Bozzo, Anna Elliott, Nina Ferreira, Pearl Patel

The Richmond Region Childhood Foundations Project focuses on providing children with the tools necessary to foster their education. The project aims to improve kindergarten readiness and third-grade assessment scores while building a more informed community on the importance of early education. To achieve this, the team will launch an Instagram account to raise awareness about the issue and partner with local organizations to provide children with educational resources, such as United Way Literacy Kits.

The Stuff of Cities
Atlanta, GA
Team Lead: Aviva Wright
Team Members: Trevor Hodgson, Martin Landis, Trip Wright, Jackie Zong

The Stuff of Cities promotes material reuse and deconstruction in the building industry through policy change. The team is working to expand Georgia’s Sustainable Redevelopment Tax Credit to reward construction projects that prioritize second-hand materials and incorporate plans for future reuse. This approach aims to reduce landfill waste, lower construction costs, and create green jobs, particularly in communities most impacted by development. The project seeks to build a more sustainable, inclusive, and thoughtful future for urban growth.

Underfunded and Underprotected: Food Justice, Climate Resilience, and Black Survival
Buffalo, NY (multi-state)
Team Lead: Amou Mawien
Team Members: Zamaria Bethea, Cydney Doughty, Esther Hilaire, Jazmine Stallings

This community-centered research initiative amplifies local voices and addresses food insecurity and disinvestment in under-resourced neighborhoods in Buffalo, NY, Baltimore, MD, and beyond. By documenting community perspectives, highlighting grassroots solutions, and hosting panels and events, meaningful conversations about local needs and priorities can be facilitated. Policy recommendations will be informed by lived experience, to ad- vance equitable, community-driven change. The project will strengthen civic engagement and champion policies that genuinely serve and uplift the communities most affected.

United Voices: A National Civics Coalition for Youth Dialogue and Civic Education
Lawrence, NJ
Team Lead: Roshan Hoban
Team Members: Miranda De Olden, Jahan Hoban, Connor Hwang, Andrew Zhang

United Voices was created in response to the firsthand observation of a lack of political discourse across party lines in youth communities and a concerning gap in civic education. To address this, the project will form a national coalition of Civics Clubs in high schools across the country, fostering political communication and educating younger students on the values of civic engagement. Their vision is to inspire a generation of high school students who engage in respectful political dialogue with those holding different views, working toward common ground and a healthier democratic culture.

VCU Health Votes
Richmond, VA
Team Lead: Sanjay Nair
Team Members: Aditri Balaji, Roqia Ali, Alexander Campbell, Dhanvin Yajaman

VCU Health Votes plans to grant patients hospitalized on election day, who have not voted by any other means, the means to cast a ballot from their hospital bed with the assistance of a team of volunteers. While many states have laws permitting bedside voting for patients hospitalized unexpectedly, the vast majority of hospitals in America have no system in place for patients to cast a ballot without the assistance of and a significant time commitment from someone close to the patient. This is an unreasonable request for family members who typically have much greater worries than voting when their loved one is hospitalized. Having successfully carried out a pilot program in Richmond, VCU Health Votes plans to create a nationwide network for the 1 million people hospitalized every election day to cast their votes and participate in our democracy.

VOICE (Voicing Opinions of Immigrants through Civic Engagement)
Flushing, NY
Team Lead: Yumin Choi
Team Members: Edmond Dong, Yanxi Feng, Mandy Lee, Victoria Lin

V.O.I.C.E., Voicing Opinions of Immigrants through Civic Engagement, based in New York City, informs and encourages immigrant involvement in local politics, with a particular focus on older generations. Led by a team of first- and second-generation immigrants, the project responds to the exclusion and intimidation many in these communities feel toward American politics. Its mission is to bridge this gap and strengthen the city’s democracy by increasing immigrant representation in policymaking and political spaces, ensuring that New York City’s diverse immigrant community and culture are fully reflected in its civic life.

Vote Ready
King County, WA
Team Lead: Srishti Boral
Team Members: Tanvi Iyer, Saanvi Kadam, Medha Singitham, Akshara Zunnuru

Vote Ready targets newly eligible university students in Washington State, many of whom will be participating in local and state elections for the first time in 2025. The project is launching a campus-based campaign at the University of Washington and nearby colleges featuring mobile voter registration drives, myth-busting workshops on student voting rights, and a web app with Washington-specific deadlines, ballot previews, and polling locations. The goal is to register at least 150 students in person and engage more than 500 through the digital platform. By meeting students where they are, both online and on campus, the initiative aims to cultivate lasting habits of civic engagement from day one.

Vote4U
Portland, OR (multi-state)
Team Lead: Sai Ishita Grandhi
Team Members: Asmitha Ananthan, Olivia Han, Ashwika Pesara, Shyam Ravidath

The project addresses the lack of accessible, nonpartisan civic information—a key reason many 18- to 22-year- olds do not vote. Gaps in resources, knowledge, and confidence, from forgetting registration deadlines to not knowing how to research candidates, often prevent young adults from participating in elections. To close this gap, the initiative is developing a user-friendly, nonpartisan app that provides essential civic information, from local ballot details in Oregon to updates on national issues. The app is designed to be easy to use for people of all ages, and to give every voter the tools and confidence needed to engage in the democratic process.

VotePlease
Grambling, LA
Team Lead: Adetayo Kalejaiye
Team Members: Uchechukwu Alih, Eniola Irinoye, Enoch Owoade, Joshua Udo

VotePlease is a community-focused SMS chatbot project designed to bridge the information gap among community members in local election participation. By delivering timely, accurate, and accessible voting information directly to people’s phones, VotePlease aims to educate voters, dispel misinformation, and increase voter turnout among a minimum of 350 community members, particularly those without access to the internet or civic resources.

Voces del Rio
White Salmon, WA (multi-state)
Team Lead: Maya Tama
Team Members: Colby Clark, Heidi Hoppus, Yuvrani Rocha, Haven Stageberg

Voces del Rio is focused on inclusion and equality. 12% of Klickitat County identifies as Latino, and research indicates that only about 20% of the Latino population in Klickitat County is currently registered to vote. The project aims to register at least 300 new voters through outreach efforts, potentially having a profound impact on the Latino population by increasing their presence in civic engagement and fostering a county where they can thrive.

Voter Valedictorians of Tomorrow
Jacksonville, FL
Team Lead: Gia Han Phan
Team Members: Emmanuel Demard, Emran Elias, Hong Han Phan

Voter Valedictorians of Tomorrow bridges the gap in voter participation and strengthens the inclusivity of democracy. The initiative works to support individuals who may face challenges in making their voices heard by connecting them with resources and raising awareness about the importance of civic involvement. Through these efforts, the project aims to foster a more welcoming and participatory political landscape.

VRing Democracy
San Francisco, CA (multi-state)
Team Lead: Emily Gorodetskiy
Team Members: Anushka Kalyan, Farhana Amedu, Nishka Desai

VRing Democracy is a civic engagement initiative that uses virtual reality technology to educate and empower U.S. residents about voting procedures, aiming to overcome language barriers and polling place unfamiliarity. The project offers multilingual virtual polling experiences and voter education resources to increase confidence and turnout among underrepresented communities. This project emerged because many immigrants and first-time voters, especially 18-year-olds, feel disconnected from the voting process due to language barriers, limited civic education, and unfamiliarity with polling places.

WCMA Food Bank
Westlake, OH
Team Lead: Yahya Qadir
Team Members: Maaz Ali, Ibrahim Daud, Muhammad Hussain, Abdur Kazmi

The WCMA Food Bank, which the local mosque will operate, will provide food to anyone in need in the Cleve- land area, with a special focus on supporting refugees in Ohio.

We Build Us
Sylam, AL
Team Lead: Sofia Nunez
Team Members: Ousmane Diallo, Madison Gonsoulin

“We Build Us” is intended to build up the Wylam community, a low-income, black community in Birmingham, Alabama. The beauty of the community is sometimes forgotten due to the abandoned plots, lack of businesses, food deserts, and only one third-space: the library. We Build Us hopes to alleviate these issues by starting a free community garden, a “beautified” plot of land, and monthly gatherings for all ages! Fight the injustices here, with community and food!

WhereWear
Olympia, WA
Team Lead: Vy Le
Team Members: Jack Archbold, Bennie Asomaning, Jahnavi Baldini, Melinda Le

WhereWear helps shelters obtain the specific clothing they truly need, such as plus-size coats, maternity wear, and new undergarments. They organize themed drives, make bulk purchases, and use the Cycle platform to connect donors with real-time shelter requests. The goal is to make clothing donations more intentional and respectful, ensuring that families in crisis receive clean, seasonally appropriate items. Looking ahead, WhereWear plans to expand nationwide to support more shelters and communities.

Young & Heard
Newark, NJ (multi-state)
Team Lead: Savannah Samuels
Team Members: Faith Welch, Serena Gayle, Kamira Medford

Young & Heard is a resource for young people of color and members of marginalized groups to help them find and amplify their voices. The program mentors participants in expressing and articulating their opinions in ways that will be heard, respected, and understood in broader society, enabling them to access higher positions and exclusive spaces. Designed for those seeking guidance in communicating their beliefs effectively, Young & Heard equips young people to share their perspectives in ways that foster understanding and engagement.

Your Vote, Your Voice
Irvine, CA
Team Lead: Giselle Cartagena
Team Members: Angie Elseisi, Serena Feng, Sophia Xiong

The project aims to empower at least 100 young people through free, youth-led civic education workshops focused on voting rights, local government, and advocacy. Designed to make civic learning accessible and engaging, the initiative prioritizes underrepresented high school and college-aged youth in Irvine and surrounding areas. Through a combination of virtual and in-person sessions, partnerships with community centers and schools, and targeted social media outreach, the project seeks to engage an additional 300 individuals online. The team is seek- ing to build a lasting, youth-led movement that inspires informed, confident, and active civic participation.

Youth Policymakers for Tomorrow
Norwood, NJ (multi-state)
Team Lead: Yeeun Park
Team Members: Phetchinda Mady, Lourdes Mendieta Macias, Joi Ysabella Carla Salvino

Youth Policymakers for Tomorrow is a youth-led, nationwide movement and an organization dedicated to ad- dressing the systemic underrepresentation of youth in policymaking. The initiative hopes to empower young people to become active contributors to civic life and public policy. The project seeks to increase civic literacy, political awareness, and meaningful engagement through accessible tools, community-informed programs, and a commitment to justice, equity, and impact over ideology.

Youth Seats Matter: Empowering Los Angeles Youth Through Neighborhood Council Elections
Los Angeles, CA
Team Lead: Angel Song
Team Members: Tarannum Taha, Hudson Phillips, Erin Ryu, Hannah Yang

Youth Seats Matter: Empowering Los Angeles Youth Through Neighborhood Council Elections seeks to increase teen involvement in neighborhood councils. Many residents are unaware that youth can vote in local council elections starting at age 16 or run for a youth representative seat as early as 14. The initiative aims to raise awareness and make the process more accessible, especially for students who often lack these opportunities, thereby ensuring they have a genuine voice in shaping their communities. By making civic participation less confusing and more welcoming, Youth Seats Matter aims to help more young people feel heard and empowered to make a meaningful difference where they live.