Youth Civic Solutions Winners Make Progress

From working with local politicians to inspiring peers through art, this year’s Youth Civic Solutions Competition winners share a common goal: engaging young people in today’s most pressing civic issues. Bolstered by the belief that youth insights and action determine our future, these young leaders are finding new and inspiring ways to mobilize their peers.

This Civic Learning Week, we are highlighting the progress of six of our awardees:  

Jenna Fliesen: Building an Inclusive Spokane Through Civic Education 

“I am inspiring Gen Z in Spokane to be more civically engaged because I believe their fresh ideas and energy are the key to transforming our community.” 

“I’m inspired by the creative energy that emerges when diverse stories intertwine—each conversation sparks new ideas, and every shared experience plants seeds for transformative action. It’s exhilarating to witness how our collective efforts are turning challenges into building blocks for a more inclusive Spokane.” 

Recent Progress: 

• “We are in the process of crafting a tailored civic curriculum that reflects Spokane’s diverse community and adapts to current immigration challenges.” 

• “We’re actively strengthening partnerships with local organizations and engaging with refugee communities to better understand and address their evolving civic needs.” 

• “These ongoing efforts are paving the way for upcoming community sessions, where we’ll pilot the curriculum and refine it based on real-time feedback.” 

David Guo: Inspiring Civic Engagement Through Art 

“I am encouraging Gen Z to improve its civic knowledge and media literacy because it is important for a thriving democracy. In addition, ensuring civic engagement sets up the future for Gen Z leaders to make a difference. I do that by starting an art competition where students will create paintings or drawings on civic issues.” 

 Recent Progress: 

• “I’m collaborating and networking with peers I met at a recent conference to continue to build interest.”  

• “I am working with someone from Mormon Women for Ethical Government, where we are planning to showcase the art.”  

• “I have recruited individuals and students to create artworks that will be displayed.”  

Elijah Lee: Mobilizing Gen Z for Advocacy and Action 

“I am urging Gen Z to become more civically engaged because now more than ever, we are seeing cuts to education funding, an attack on the human rights of American citizens, and the inhumane treatment of others because of their nationality. While these facts may seem daunting, they should instead serve as a call to action to become involved and to use your voice. Personally, I have organized and spoken at local demonstrations, reached out to my legislators, and gotten involved in local campaigns to make sure my voice is heard, but there is so much more that you can do from posting on social media, hosting conversations at your school, and staying informed & updated. No matter how you get involved, just get involved—use your voice, mobilize yourself, and never stop fighting for a better tomorrow.” 

Recent Progress: 

• “I led two youth lobby days where over 20 students joined me at the Virginia General Assembly to advocate for legislation that was important to young people, topics ranging from increasing teacher pay to increasing youth representation on school boards.” 

• “I gave three presentations to 1,000 elementary students at KIPP Schools, sharing my story and encouraging young people to find their passion and purpose in community activism.” 

• “I spoke to a crowd of over 150 people at a local protest, sharing my perspective as a young person growing up in modern society and how we can overcome the obstacles that lie ahead.” 

• “I facilitated a merger between two separate youth organizations in Virginia, uniting young people under a larger mission of progress while combining resources to engage and mobilize more people.” 

• “I preached multiple church services with my messages largely focusing on the importance for religious communities to become involved in social justice initiatives and the larger fight for equality, also highlighting youth church services and acknowledging Black History Month.” 

Emily Nguyen: Enhancing Voter Education Through Virtual Reality 

“I am inspiring Gen Z to be more civically engaged because I feel they should be prepared to vote with well-grounded decisions the second they hit the voting age. I do that through my organization, ‘VRing Democracy.’ VRD is a civic project focused on using virtual reality to educate and empower voters, especially those facing language barriers or unfamiliarity with polling procedures.” 

Recent Progress: 

• “VRing Democracy has been awarded a $10,000 grant from Macy’s Inc.” 

• “We’ve been working on sending headsets to communities across the nation in partnership with the League of Women Voters.” 

Brandon Tran: Making Civics Engaging Through Competition 

“I am encouraging Gen Z to be more civically engaged because of the tremendous stakes we have in the future of our society, and I do that by leading my organization, ChallengeUS, which aims to engage students in civics through educational competitions.” 

Recent Progress: 

• “With the support of the Institute for Citizens and Scholars, we were able to smoothly run the Winter 2024 cycle of our Future Leaders Competition, where we received 248 submissions representing 62 countries and increases in all of our participant experience metrics, as measured by feedback surveys.” 

• “We were also able to expand from two competition categories to three.” 

• “After announcing winners this March, we’ll begin turning our attention to the Summer 2025 rendition of our competition, where we hope to continue our momentum and drive further growth.” 

Damaryan Benton: Bridging Media Literacy with Civic Engagement 

“I am equipping Gen Z to leverage their insights for impact because they aren’t lacking awareness but existing pathways to action. Too often, their voices go unheard simply because they don’t know where to channel them. I do that by bridging media literacy with civic engagement through The PR Habitat, helping Gen Zers understand the power of communication.” 

“Gen Z isn’t disengaged. They’re disillusioned by broken systems that don’t reflect or respond to their realities. The key isn’t just telling them to show up. It’s showing them why it matters and where their voice fits in. Our work is about turning passive awareness into active participation, making civic engagement accessible, personal, and necessary.” 

Recent Progress: 

• “We sponsored the first-ever HBCU PRSSA District Conference, reinforcing our commitment to empowering diverse voices in communications.” 

• “We surpassed 1,000 members in our LinkedIn group, expanding a digital space where media literacy and civic engagement intersect.” 

• “We toured at universities like Pepperdine and Boston University to equip students to be culturally conscious communicators.” 

These young changemakers are proving that civic engagement takes many forms. We’re honored and inspired to celebrate their unique contributions—from art and storytelling to lobbying and leveraging technology. By empowering their peers with knowledge, tools, and platforms for action, they are shaping a more informed and active generation of leaders driven by collective problem-solving.