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Why does it matter if we get young people ready to lead? Charlotte’s students need to learn how their community and governments work, about the key issues, how citizens and leaders collaborate to solve problems – and how young people can make a difference.

Current events, education trends, and learning opportunity gaps make that task more difficult…and more important than ever.

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Building civic literacy, leadership

Programs combine classroom and community – K-12 civic education lessons/resources– Kids Voting mock election– Charlotte-Mecklenburg Youth Council– Youth Leadership Charlotte-Mecklenburg– Other initiatives

GenerationNation helps K-12 students to build civic literacy and leadership. We do this through a variety of programs that combine classroom education with hands-on experiences – we put civics and leadership into action. GenerationNation programs include K-12 civic education lessons and tools for teachers and the Kids Voting mock election, and the high school programs we’ll hear about tonight Charlotte-Mecklenburg Youth Council and Youth Leadership Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

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50,000 local students in 2014-15 activities

• 180,000 in 2012-2015, including Election 2012

15,000 contact hours of programming

100+ standards-based lessons and tools for classrooms in 170+ schools

GenerationNation is making a difference. Our organization was launched over 20 years ago as an annual mock voting event. In the past 5 years, we decided we needed to do more to educate and engage young citizens and leaders 365 days a year. Voting is just the beginning!In the past 3 years, new youth programming enabled GenerationNation to increase learning opportunities for more high school students. The youth programs engaged 250 high school students through educational sessions, dialogues with community leaders, field trips, and other hands-on experiences.GenerationNation narrows learning opportunity gaps through authentic and transformative civics and leadership experiences.

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Narrowing the learning opportunity gap

Discuss issues with public officials Find out how and why a city growsWrite news headlines See how local government worksDeliberate policy in a mock council meetingCreate and deliver a team presentationRead and prioritize a budgetBuild civic leadership and interestsAnalyze a speech and speaker’s skillsCast an informed mock vote on real topicsPlan a cityCollaborate with different kinds of people

Learning opportunities connect students with real-life experiences for college, career, and civic life

Pitch an economic plan for the cityLearn legislative process in RaleighSee where and how people do their jobsNegotiate a dealShare solutions with civic leadersInterview a business leaderExplore different parts of the cityFollow and understand newsLearn law through a mock trialGet leadership lessons from leadersReport on civic issues and eventsBe an active citizen

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Thanks for meeting with youth!David HowardJohn HowardCharles KellerTerry LansdellVilma LeakeJustin LehmannLuis LluberasNyema MathisLaWana MayfieldEd McKinneyTim MorganPat MumfordTom MurrayAmy Hawn Nelson

Brooke AdamsonMaggie AkersJohn ArwoodApril BetheaAllison BillingsAndrew BowenCharles BowmanErin BrightonMichael BryantRon CarleeCheryl CarpenterAnn ClarkDan Clodfelter

Brian CollierCarrie CookWarren CookseyEd DriggsEricka Ellis-StewartHolly EskridgeDale FiteAnnetta FoardTrevor FullerJennifer GreenTom HanchettRebecca HefnerWilson HooperJake House

Susan PattersonHeidi PruessMoira QuinnLeslie RhodesYoung-Sun RothElla ScarboroughSheila ShirleyNancy SmithNicole StoreyTom TateSteve WoodHyong YiAnd other friends!

The learning opportunities connect students with real life experiences such as discussing actual community issues, ideas, and solutions with leaders. Thank you to the leaders who have worked with our youth this year.

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100% of youth participants• Interact with, discuss issues with community leaders

• Learn about, apply knowledge to solve community issues

• Learn about and interact with local government

• Meet and collaborate with youth from other schools and backgrounds

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Youth build skills and knowledge for college, career, and civic life, increasing over the year in Knowledge and interests, government, civic issues, public policy, news, voting, and volunteeringSkills and behaviors such as leadership, decision-making, collaboration, analysis, communication, public speaking, and confidence.

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Impact after high schoolDemonstrate higher levels of civic leadership, civic engagement, and civic literacy

As a result of their involvement in GenerationNation, more likely than peers to

• Serve in group leadership role (88% vs. 5%)• Vote (90% vs. 22%)• Volunteer (69% vs 28%)• Understand how government works (90% vs. 45%)• Regularly consume/understand news (100% vs. 70% )

Through our alumni network, we are starting to see a long-term impact. Compared with peers ages 18-29, GenerationNation alumni are much more likely to demonstrate civic leadership, civic engagement, and civic and news literacy.

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Diverse youth leadership30+ schools– CMS/Non-CMS

Different neighborhoods, backgrounds, perspectives

Our members are diverse and representative. We attend over thirty CMS and non-CMS schools and live in neighborhoods across the community.

We are leaders who care about our schools, our city, our towns, and our county. We advise community leaders, and take an active role to learn about and discuss key issues and understand different perspectives.

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Participating high schoolsArdrey KellPhillip O’BerryButlerCato Middle CollegeCharlotte CatholicCharlotte Country DayCharlotte Engineering Early CollegeCharlotte SecondaryCochraneEast MecklenburgGaringerHardingHome SchoolsHopewellHoughIndependenceLake Norman Charter

Levine Middle CollegeMallard CreekMarie G DavisMyers ParkNorth MecklenburgNorthwest School of the ArtsOlympicPerformance Learning CenterProvidence Providence DayQueens GrantRocky RiverSouth MecklenburgVanceWest CharlotteWest Mecklenburg

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– Advise community leaders– Learn about issues and perspectives– Collaborate to solve problems– Build lifelong interests, skills, and friendships

In March, members of the youth council participated in the NC Youth Legislative Assembly in Raleigh. It was a great way to experience the legislative process, learn about different viewpoints and issues, and get to know student leaders from communities across the state.

Importantly, we are a valuable resource. Charlotte-Mecklenburg leaders know they can ask for, and use, our feedback to strengthen policies and decisions impacting children and youth.

Earlier this year, we hosted a youth summit in which members of the Board of Education, Charlotte City Council, Mecklenburg County Commission, and high school students discussed how we can all work together to make our schools and community strong now and for the future.

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High school student advisory board for city, county, and CMS

Leaders through college, career, civic life

Building a leadership pipeline

Grades 9-10 learn about community, issues, leadership

I’m getting ready to graduate. I will look forward to joining the other program alumni in coming back to support student leaders, and seeking future leadership roles. We have a few alumni in the audience tonight, will you please stand? Thank you for being here!Will the other youth council seniors in the audience please join me on the stage? We want to recognize you, too.(As they are coming up talk about your plans…) Next year, I am going to (college) to study/become (field).Seniors, please say your name, where you are going to school, and what you want to study/do. (Give them the mike and encourage them to speak)Congratulations, seniors! (Applause)I can’t wait to see all that our future youth council members will accomplish. Now, we welcome our newest members – let’s learn what they’ve been doing this semester.

Presentation by Deirdre Austin, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Youth Council https://youtu.be/LZdGNKYE_Ww

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Youth LeadershipPresentations by emerging leaders in grades 9-10

GenerationNation Youth Leadership Charlotte-Mecklenburg Class of 2015

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Team 1

Taylor BlakeneyTrinity RussellGrayson SandlinAlex SmithVernicia Ulysse

View presentationhttp://goo.gl/50ABGR

Watch presentationhttps://youtu.be/wq_Vu3WXE9A

Watch Q&Ahttps://youtu.be/GNU5MnrXvck

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Team 3Asyia CuttsBrienna DiPietroMitchell LongoAvani MercadoJenica Myers

View presentationhttp://goo.gl/p9hM44

Watch presentationhttps://youtu.be/fyuAEK0gmNQ

Q&Ahttps://youtu.be/rMRSZCDZdU0

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Team 4Rose Delle FaveMaayan EavesJosie FultonZachary GreenDes'rae Mitchell

View presentationhttps://prezi.com/imdaqlwzdgoa/their-big-city-our-small-town/

Watch presentationhttps://youtu.be/XPX7LqXjs00

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Team 5Arionna BarrettSierra DixonDa'Jhun MackMax MorenoAadithya NairJane Vaughan

Watch presentationhttps://youtu.be/pRvMth92UNc

Q&Ahttps://youtu.be/Q2NgC5H5qcc

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Team 6Hayley BogerKalen ClarkKaila HartGrant SheltonPiper StrzeleckiLuke Workley

View presentationhttp://goo.gl/qA1ixi

Watch presentationhttps://youtu.be/PnL2FS0adgw

Q&A https://youtu.be/uNexsbyuU3A

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“You’ll Never Walk Alone”https://youtu.be/48M5qM2xeBo

Rickey BurchCharlotte-Mecklenburg Youth CouncilButler High School

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Thank you!

What you have just heard tells the story of GenerationNation. Together, we’re educating and engaging students to lead and transform our schools, neighborhoods, and community for the better. Our future looks bright, thanks to these young people. Let’s give all of our student leaders a big round of applause.I want to thank everyone for attending…Parents and family membersTeachers, advisors, and principalsVolunteers who worked with our students this year, especially the Leadership Charlotte who are here tonight Community leadersSponsorsGenerationNation Board members

Photography: Scout RosenVideo: Ian Beveridge