A POSITIVE VOICE FOR POLITICS 2015 ANNUAL REPORT CONTENTS

5 LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

6 MISSION & VISION

7 THE PROBLEM

12 CELEBRATING 5 YEARS OF POLITICAL ACTION

14 ACTION CIVICS IN & BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

20 EDUCATING FOR DEMOCRACY: A CONVENING WITH THE FORD FOUNDATION

22 ANNUAL CIVIC TECH CHALLENGE

23 OUR IMPACT

24 FROM THE PRESS

25 FINANCIAL OVERVIEW

27 OUR SUPPORTERS

3 FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

DEAR FRIENDS,

Four months ago, I knew my friends This year, Generation Citizen celebrated its fifth Therefore, the definition of politics is actually, according were struggling, but I had no idea anniversary. It’s amazing to think about how far we’ve to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, “the total complex come in such a short time - from an idea, to a pilot in of relations between people living in society.” Politics their struggle had a name. I know three classrooms in Providence, RI, to working with is, literally, about people working together to get now that they’re caught in the almost 8,000 students in four sites this past school stuff done. This real definition of politics is exciting. school-to-prison pipeline. Because of year. Just as a democracy only works with full citizen It’s necessary. It is the best part of living in America participation, GC has only gone this far because of the today - not the fantastic hoopla we see on TV and talk Generation Citizen, I learned not only dedicated people who believe deeply in our mission shows. Citizens working together as citizens to the name of this issue, but also the - from our committed staff to our devoted Board of “get stuff done” - that’s essentially what Generation complex causes and major effects Directors, from our tireless volunteer Democracy Citizen is. Coaches to our underappreciated classroom teachers. that are impacting my generation. As we hit five years, the part of GC that makes me Every day at GC, students are disagreeing and I never understood that my friends’ proudest is the countless people we have worked with agreeing, working through the Advocacy Hourglass to promote action civics nationwide. in our curriculum, figuring out their passions, and and my problems mattered to taking concrete action. They are meeting with Council the rest of society - I assumed This year was our best yet. Our program continued to Members on public transit, advocating for student that nobody cared. GC helped me improve, and students took effective action on issues voice in district decisions, testifying at legislative recognize that I not only could, but ranging from police-community relations to affordable hearings. They are getting political. housing to teen unemployment. These are big issues, should, be an active and engaged and issues that will only be solved with effective youth And so, when you think of politics as this election citizen. When I met with Senator Pat input. We continued to build up our organizational season descends upon you, don’t get sucked into the Jehlen (D-MA), she made me realize infrastructure, raising more money than ever before negativity. Focus on the positive potential that and adding more capacity in our sites. We began to we see every day at GC. For us, there is nothing that I have power in my voice. I could make build a movement nationwide for action civics, as powerful as the concept of a democracy. And express my ideas about the struggles hosting a national convening at the Ford Foundation, we work towards that every day at GC. If you’re I’ve witnessed and experienced. I and preparing to release papers to make the case for onboard with our mission and want to help bring action why educating young people to be active citizens is civics to scale in the , let’s work together learned that my opinion matters to necessary to address so many of the issues plaguing to “get stuff done.” You can reach me at people in power. our country - especially increasing social inequality. [email protected].

At the same time, we would be remiss in talking about To the year ahead, De’Anthony Robinson the work we are doing to get young people active in Brighton High School, the political process without addressing the overall GC Greater disdain with which our collective society currently views Scott Warren politics. In the face of this upcoming presidential Co-Founder and Executive Director election, no one wants to talk “politics.” When we hear politics, we think gridlock. We think dysfunction. We think partisan warfare.

But at GC, we focus on the positivity of politics. The root of the word “politics” is from the Greek word “politikos,” which means, of, for, or relating to citizens.

4 5 OUR MISSION THE PROBLEM: YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN POLITICS

Generation Citizen works to ensure Young people want to make a difference. But they volunteering and charities - not through do not see institutional politics, and interacting with political action. that every student in the United government, as the way to create change. Despite States receives an effective action the influx of issues currently facing our country, young But politics still matters - it’s the best way to solve people are increasingly divorcing themselves from the the pressing issues of our time, from the economy civics education, which provides political process. This is occurring despite concrete to immigration. And we are not teaching young them with the knowledge and evidence of youth idealism and energy in other social, people the knowledge and skills necessary to be non-political arenas, and an anecdotal intensive active citizens. A recent National Assessment of skills necessary to participate in growth in social movement activity amongst young Educational Progress test demonstrated that only our democracy as active citizens. people. In fact, the majority of young people in America 23% of 8th graders were proficient in civics. The recent care deeply about political issues like the economy, focus on STEM education and focus on standardized immigration, and gun violence. Yet, while over half of testing of core subjects, while necessary in some Millennials regularly volunteer, even more think that respects, has largely pushed the discipline of civics out the best way to make positive change is through of the classroom. And the impact of this shows.

OUR VISION Of 179 recognized democracies around the world, the US ranks 139th in voter participation.

We envision a country of young people working as active citizens to collectively rebuild our American democracy.

Only 1/3 of eligible voters actually participated in the 2012 presidential election, which means that more people didn’t vote, than voted for President Barack Obama.

6 7 ...AND IT LEADS TO A VICIOUS CYCLE THE SOLUTION: BRINGING CIVICS BACK: ACTION CIVICS

Trust in the federal government Generation Citizen believes every student has the right to learn how to effectively has dropped dramatically. In 1973, participate as citizens. We inspire civic a majority of young people believed participation through a proven Common that government would do the right Core-aligned action civics class that gives students the opportunity to experience thing, and today, only 20% do. real-world democracy. Through student- driven projects, youth learn how to effect policy change by engaging with IN 1973, PEW FOUND THAT local government and leaders to solve community problems. MOST YOUNG PEOPLEIN 19 73, PEW FOUND THAT IN 1973, PEW FOUND THAT TRUSTED THE FEDERALMOST YOUNG PEOPLEGC students receive an effective, MOST YOUNG PEOPLE action-oriented civics education that GOVERNMENT TO TDORUSTED THE THE FEDERAL TRUSTED THE FEDERAL promotes long-term civic engagement RIGHT THING. GOVERNMENT TO DOand THE builds collaboration, communication, GOVERNMENT TO DO THE RIGHT THING. and critical thinking skills that students RIGHT THING.NOW ONLY 20% OF will need throughout their lives. The MILLENIALS TRUST THE result is passionate and responsible NOW ONLY 20% OF civic participation that will help NOW ONLY 20% OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENTMILLENIALS TRUST THE create the more active citizenry MILLENIALS TRUST THE and more responsive government TO DO WHAT IS RIGHTFEDERAL GOVERNMENT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT of our future. MOST OF THE TIME.TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT MOST OF THE TIME. MOST OF THE TIME.

So it’s no surprise that political behavior has declined, too. In the 2014 miderm elections, only 20% of 18-29 year olds voted - the lowest youth turnout on record.

8 9 WHAT IS ACTION CIVICS?

LEARN ABOUT THE common core & state WHAT IS ACTIONstanda CIVICS?rds-aligned OUR REACH POLITICAL PROCESS student-centered BY ENGAGING IN THE WHAT IS ACTION CIVICS? LEARN ABOUT THE POLITICAL PROCESSsemester-long, BY ENGAGINGschool- IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS AN EDUCATOR’S PERSPECTIVE... POLITICAL PROCESS based course 01 LEARN ABOUT THE Commoncommon Corecore & statestate Gaining the skills to meaningfully participate in then collaborate with their peers to solve it and to Students debate and build standards-alignedstandards-aligned our democracy is especially critical for low-income communicate effectively and persuasively. These consensus around POLITIan issue CAL PROCESS students, both because our current weak campaign skills are ones they will also need to be successful in Student-centeredstudent-centered that personally affects them finance laws allow those with money to speak louder in college and in their future careers. [Action civics] gave e.g. gang violence, publicB transit,Y ENG AGING IN THE teen jobs, etc. Semester-long,semester-long, school-school- our democracy and because too many students from students control over their learning. Each class got to POLITICAL PROCESS basedbased coursecourse low-income families have parents who cannot vote choose the issue they worked on and could see how 01 due to their immigration status or criminal records. their learning connected to the world around them. Students debate and build The ability to... engage in civic debate within their They understood that their work products had real 02 consensus around an issue communities, and make their voices heard to elected meaning. that personally affCOLLEGIATEects them PARTNERS officials are just a few of the skills Americans are Students research and analyze e.g. gang violence, public transit, the root causes of their issue, teen jobs, etc. called upon to use when navigating a 21st century At [Generation Citizen’s] Civics Day, students presented and develop an action plan GREATER BOSTON democracy. their work to policy makers. Not only did they receive Boston College feedback from “real” adults (not teachers or their Boston University I’m not sure my students could tell you what branch parents), but they also had the chance to compare 02 Bunker Hill Community College of government is established in Article III of the their work to that of students from other schools. It was Emerson College 03 Students research and analyze Constitution, or how many representatives there a more powerful form of assessment than any test I the root causes of Harvardtheir issue, University Students put their plans into ac- are in the House. But...they can get the answer in have ever given. and develop an action plan tion by meeting with legislators, Northeastern University an instant of Googling. But by learning about our writing opinion pieces, creating Tufts University system of government in a project-based, hands- Tara Kini, Generation Citizen Teacher petitions, and informing policy University of : Boston on way, my students gained the skills they will need Buena Vista Horace Mann School, Bay Area to meaningfully participate in our democracy. They From Teaching Democracy: A Hands-On Exercise article 03 demonstrated the ability to identify a problem and in Education Week Brown University Students put their plans into ac- tion by meeting withBryant legisla Collegetors, 04 Providence College Students present their action writing opinion pieces, creating plans to community leaders and petitions, and informingRhode policy Island College fellow classmates at Civics Day Columbia University/Barnard College Fordham University- Lincoln Center 04 Students present theirFordham action University- Rose Hill 05 plans to communityHunter leade rColleges and Back in the classroom, students fellow classmates atNew Civics York D Universityay Pace University remain active, politically engaged Wagner College citizens

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA Students are prepared & motivated 05 State University for long-term political engagement Back in the classroom,University students of – Berkeley University of San Francisco remain active, politically engaged citizens

10 Students are prepared & motivated 11 for long-term political engagement CELEBRATING 5 YEARS OF POSITIVE 2015 MARKS YEAR 2 OF GENERATION POLITICAL ACTION CITIZEN’S AMBITIOUS STRATEGIC PLAN

THIS YEAR, GENERATION CITIZEN CELEBRATES ITS 5TH ANNIVERSARY AS AN TO ADVANCE ITS MISSION OF BRINGING ACTION CIVICS TO EVERY STUDENT IN OFFICIAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION. IN JUST A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, THE UNITED STATES, GENERATION CITIZEN WILL: OVER 30,000 STUDENTS HAVE LEARNED TO DRIVE CHANGE THROUGH ACTION CIVICS. 1. DELIVER HIGH IMPACT ACTION CIVICS THROUGH LOCAL HUBS 2. BUILD DEMAND FOR ACTION CIVICS NATIONWIDE AND WE’RE JUST GETTING STARTED. 3. BUILD ORGANIZATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE & CAPACITY TO ALLOW FOR NATIONAL IMPACT

NOVEMBER AUGUST 2015 JUNE 2014 GC celebrates its GC successfully leads official 5-Year the Teens on Board Anniversary! The civic education space is tired. Youth civic participation is too low. And JANUARY 2014 GC pilots its Campaign to lower the Community Change age at which young voting at the local and state levels lags far behind national elections, yet it SEPTEMBER 2013 Fellowship. people can sit on NYC GC opens its Bay Area Community Boards is at the local level where leaders’ decisions have the greatest impact. There FEBRUARY office and reaches from 18 to 16. 2010 850 students in its GC pilots in New York is a civic engagement gap that cuts along racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic first year on the West 2010 City, and soon opens SEPTEMBER Coast. GC is officially its NYC headquarters. incorporated as a lines in this country. But our country’s demographics are changing, and for 2008 501(c)3 non-profit Brown University organization. a healthy, representative democracy, we must listen to and activate a more students Anna Ninan and Scott Warren diverse pipeline of future leaders. found Generation Citizen. In its first JANUARY year of operation, GC 2015 serves 300 students JUNE throughout Rhode GC co-hosts national GC doesn’t just set the bar of success as students voting in the future or Island. convening. MAY 2014 running for office someday -- both of which can seem abstract. Instead, GC launches a 4-Year OCTOBER 2013 strategic plan focused they’re asked to identify a problem that matters to them now in the public GC gets a brand on delivering high makeover with impact action civics JUNE 2012 education through sphere and put a plan into action. Learning through taking action, students GC is awarded a support from The local hubs, building Draper Richards Taproot Foundation. 2010 demand for action see, learn and practice getting something done. Kaplan Foundation SEPTEMBER GC is awarded an civics nationally, and Fellowship. Echoing Green building organizational 2009 Fellowship. infrastructure and GC pilots in Greater capacity. Stephen Chan, The Boston Foundation Boston and opens its first official office. Greater Boston Board Chair

12 13 GENERATION CITIZEN STUDENTS IN ACTION COMING TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY

NEIGHBORHOOD SANITATION, NEW YORK

In Fall 2014, seniors from the Academy of Urban Planning (AUP) in Bushwick, Brooklyn voiced frustration with the trash lining their neighborhood’s streets. Students saw this not only as a littering issue, but as a vivid detriment to a healthy community identity and sense of pride. Through research, learned about a “sanitation scorecard” which the city uses to assess neighborhood cleanliness. They also learned that this Department of Sanitation tool hadn’t been updated since the 1980s, when the city was much dirtier and more dangerous. Its categories were so lenient that in 2015 neglected Brooklyn neighborhoods were receiving the same designations as upscale Manhattan enclaves. Students met with Councilmember Antonio Reynoso, and pressed him to lobby for updating the scorecard. This spring, his staff sent AUP video footage of the Councilmember questioning the Department of Sanitation Commissioner at a public hearing, Representatives from six Generation Citizen schools across NYC met with the NYC Police Department’s Deputy presenting to her the class’ research on the outdated Commission for Collaborative Policing. They shared ideas developed in their GC semester and were invited to submit scorecard, and informing her that he’d soon be holding a a proposal to build a Youth Committee in the Office of Collaborative Policing. hearing of his own to address the issue.

COMMUNITY POLLUTION, RHODE ISLAND In Fall 2014, in the midst of national and local tension Commissioner of the New York City Police Department between minority communities and the police, an Office of Collaborative Policing, Susan Herman. A senior class from the Juanita Sanchez Educational Complex unprecedented number of GC classrooms chose to (JSEC), a public high school in Providence was interested focus on the issue of community-police relations. GC In the meeting, Ms. Herman listened as students in pollution, particularly in Narragansett Bay. They decided sought to foster collaboration between classes from all described their communities' respective issues with to target plastic bags, and partnered with Representative over New York City on this topic. the current state of police-neighborhood relations, and Greg Amore to introduce legislation that would ban the use their solutions. She pressed students to think critically of plastic bags at Rhode Island retail locations. Through Each class agreed that police-community relations and analyze the potential impact of their different this process, the students lobbied Representative Greg was an issue, but there were quite divergent proposed solutions. In the end, Ms. Herman vowed to Amore, interviewed Representative Grace Diaz and Senator solutions. Classes were working toward increased funnel students’ feedback into her office and sought Juan Pichardo, presented their idea to Clean Water Action, police accountability through body cameras, more to ultimately establish a youth input outlet within the and testified at the House Committee on Environment stringent mental health and social tolerance tests NYPD. The students have kept in touch with the NYPD and Natural Resources. Not only did they learn how these for NYPD applicants, mandating police community on this important issue. systems operated, they also discovered that they could work service hours in the neighborhoods they serve, within the political system of Rhode Island to create change. establishing a youth advisory arm of the NYPD, and more. With such innovative solutions sprouting from so many GC classrooms, staff organized a sit-down between student leaders of each class and the Deputy

14 15 STAYING ACTIVE AFTER GENERATION CITIZEN STAYING ACTIVE AFTER GENERATION CITIZEN DEMOCRACY COACH ALUMNI THE COMMUNITY CHANGE FELLOWSHIP

As one of the first Democracy Coaches on the Brown other and the issues impacting their community. As we In Summer 2014, Generation Citizen piloted its One of my favorite things that I’ve done with BEJA University campus and a current member of the started the curriculum, though, my students learned Community Change Fellowship, an internship this summer was creating a workshop to educate Generation Citizen Bay Area Board, I want to share a that some of their classmates faced homelessness. program designed to sustain civic engagement students about the injustices in our school system, like bit about my political journey. I was 17 in 2008; too When things got personal, things changed in my amongst graduated high school students. In Summer inequitable funding. Learning about these injustices young to vote in my home state of California, but eager classroom. My students became determined to help 2015, twenty-one high school students from GC’s made me think... to get involved. So I joined a Get Out the Vote campaign fix this problem - organizing clothing drives, educating NYC and Greater Boston sites were chosen through in Washoe County, NV, a swing county in a swing state. teachers about supporting homeless students, and a competitive application process and placed in I engaged strangers on issues they cared about, and supplying lists of local resources targeted at homeless the offices of elected officials like New York City learned about what mattered to me along the way. youth. This became their issue, because it impacted Councilmember Ritchie Torres, and organizations “Has my education not been at its Listening to their stories, I learned that democracy is their community. like Boston Education Justice Alliance. Fellows full capacity?” I was interested in my ignited when we share our personal truths. One family received professional development from GC on topics was passionate about prioritizing public education Change takes time, and GC Rhode Island students are like leadership and effective research. GC plans to work because it related to me directly. financing; we connected when I described my struggles still addressing homelessness today. They are learning further develop and strengthen this program in the Informing kids just like me about that in an underfunded urban school. Maybe I moved some to make the political process work at scale, impacting coming years. injustice will inspire more kids to be of the folks I met to vote, and their passion definitely the issue at a citywide level, and to drive lasting inspired me to change things. change with more sophisticated civic action. We can This summer, I participated in Generation Citizen’s a change agent, looking into local help this trend continue. As a San Francisco resident Community Change Fellowship program (CCF). I was organizations and getting involved When I got to Brown, GC was the perfect opportunity and former Rhode Island Democracy Coach, I’ve seen paired with my supervisor Marlena Rose and became at an early age. As a Community to help diversify the voices influencing local policy. the impact of young people taking action across the a Youth Organizer for Boston Education Justice Alliance I couldn’t wait to hear my students’ opinions. But I country. Action civics works. We’ve accomplished a lot (BEJA). Being a Youth Organizer for BEJA opened my Change Fellow, I’ve learned how to was surprised to find that they knew little about each so far, but our work is far from done. view on the community. Before, I didn’t know how to use my voice effectively! put my voice out there, but after a month, I knew how I could make change on things that I believe in. This summer, we’ve been canvassing, which, I learned, Giancarlo Casteneda means going out to a busy area and informing people Margarita Muniz Academy about a cause. Canvassing is the most direct way to 2015 Community Change Fellow connect with a community. I’ve also learned about screen printing - one of the most cost-efficient tactics to get your message viewed by the public.

Carmen Sobczak, Brown University Democracy Coach and Bay Area Board Member

16 17 BUILDING DEMAND FOR EDUCATINGEDUCATING FOR FOR ACTION CIVICS EDUCATION DEMOCRACYDEMOCRACY (1)

Generation Citizen believes that every student In January 2015, the Ford Foundation and in the United States has the right to learn how to Generation Citizen, with support from the William and participate in our democracy. GC has become a Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, leader in the democracy education movement, and the McCormick Foundation, co-hosted a partnering with funders, practitioners and convening entitled “Educating for Democracy,” policymakers to ensure that effective civics focusing on the role of schools in educating the education is seen as a “need to have”, not a next generation of young people to become active “nice to have”, and that young people, and citizens. especially those of color and from historically marginalized communities, are taught to be The convening brought together lead scholars, engaged citizens, capable of making change in practitioners, funders, and young people. It energized their communities and harnessing the power of participants to consider why this particular moment government. in United States history necessitates a movement ensuring that young people learn the fundamentals of active citizenship. It led to the writing of a white paper arguing for the importance of democracy education, and the formation of working groups, formalizing recommendations to advance the field. The time is ripe to promote a “democracy education” field, and Generation Citizen is at the forefront of the movement.

Generation Citizen is a great program. It is a unique opportunity to get involved, to experience firsthand how our government works, and to learn how to create change. This is powerfully important, because every day, federal state and local governments make decisions about issues that affect each of our lives. In our democracy, “government” is just another name for all the things that we, the people, decide to do together.

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) Greater Boston Spring Civics Day Address

18 19 EDUCATING FOR DEMOCRACY

At Educating for Democracy, Generation Citizen alum Since Educating for Democracy, Miaija has become a They gave me a newfound power, and Community Change Fellow Miaija Jawara delivered local leader of the Urban Youth Collaborative’s “Dig- and couldn’t wait for me to use it. the speech below - which was followed by a standing nity in Schools” campaign, was recently featured on ovation by convening attendees. We must ensure that Democracy Now speaking about the school-to-prison _ every student in the United States has the opportunity pipeline, and appeared as a panelist at a New York to learn about civic participation and develop Miaija’s University School of Law workshop on sex ed policies. Next time someone my age comes confidence. to you and says “Hey, I have an

idea”, don’t shoo them away, My name is Miaija. I am 16 years old, and a junior at Last summer was an amazing experience that every look them in the eyes and listen. A. Phillip Randolph High School. Being as young as 16 year old should have, and it shaped who I am. Encourage her, and ask her to I am, I’ve been told that I don’t really have a place Nine months ago, if you were to ask me anything in politics, that my voice is insignificant, that no one about disciplinary codes, or how I feel about youth elaborate, play devil’s advocate, would ever listen. Oh, the lies they’ve told me. My voice involvement in their community, I could not have given make her question herself. I now matters a lot, and because of Generation Citizen I’ve you an answer. Now, I could write you a five page paper realize that; young or old, black or had the opportunity to not only voice my opinion, but on why it’s so important. I could tell you about how to have it heard. At first I was timid. After being told for empowering it is to know that your ideas are being white, regardless of who you are, or so long that nothing I said mattered, suddenly I was used to solve an issue as big as the school to prison where you come from, your voice put into this room full of adults who wanted to hear pipeline. matters, you matter, and what you what I had say. They wanted to know my point of view and said, “Well, Miaija what would you do? How would Generation Citizen needs to be in every high school can do to change your community you handle it?” They gave me a newfound power, and in the country. We are the going to inherit this matters. couldn’t wait for me to use it. government. If you go into any school, I guarantee that you will find kids who envision themselves as the Miaija Jawara Last summer, I was working with other young people, President, or Secretary of State. We know what we being a part of something so unheard of that it want to do, we just don’t know where to go. Not every could not be replaced by a million summer vacations student is as lucky as I was to be able to have GC come spent lounging in the sun. I was at the Urban Youth to my classroom and make me question what I once Collaborative discussing the school-to-prison pipeline, thought was normal. Not every student gets to do this, and unjust, biased disciplinary codes in NYC schools. but they should. With as many ideas as we have, and I was in the streets, making headlines shouting to all the solutions that my peers and I proposed this the skies in hopes that Mike Brown would get the summer, I can’t imagine what it’d be like if the entire justice he deserved. I was at the Truthworker Theatre nation’s high schoolers were this enthusiastic about Company watching ordinary kids transform their wanting change. surroundings into jail cells, re-enacting the brutalities that so many youth face in prison. I was shaking hands with Councilman Ritchie Torres. I was all over the city learning so much, and being a part of so much, that when the summer finally ended, I wished it was July again.

20 21 CIVIC TECH CHALLENGE MEASURING THE IMPACT OF ACTION CIVICS

In Fall 2014, Generation Citizen launched its first Civic Tech Challenge in Boston in partnership with Microsoft. This Generation Citizen uses three primary metrics, recognized by lead researchers in the field as indicative of long-term year, the “CTC” goes bi-coastal, connecting Generation Citizen students to tech innovators in both the Bay Area and civic participation, to evaluate students’ civic learning and likelihood of future political engagement. Our Boston. Developers, designers, marketers, data scientists and creative problem-solvers from top tech companies 2014-15 results indicate that we are, in many ways, on track, and also highlight where we must continue to iterate and technology education programs will help students take their action projects to the next level. our programming.

These “hackteams,” of Generation Citizen students and technologists, present their innovative solutions to a judging panel, and an audience consisting of the region’s most influential finance, service, and startup companies. CIVIC KNOWLEDGE A student’s ability to grasp basic civic knowledge, which is taught throughout the course. This includes understanding how the Our 2014 honoree and keynote was Jeff Bussgang of Flybridge Capital Partners. The 2015 Boston keynote is New governmental process works, and who the basic players are. Urban Mechanics, and the Bay Area’s keynote is Jen Pahlka, Founder and CEO of Code for America.

THANKS TO OUR CIVIC TECH CHALLENGE SPONSORS 70% OF STUDENTS DEMONSTRATED AN INCREASE IN CIVIC KNOWLEDGE

CIVIC SKILLS A student’s ability to use acquired skills to effectively participate in the political process. This includes oral and written persuasive communication, group-work, and critical thinking - all vital to being an engaged citizen. 73% OF STUDENTS DEMONSTRATED AN INCREASE IN CIVIC SKILLS

CIVIC MOTIVATION A student’s desire to actively participate in the political process and take action on issues they care about. This includes actual behaviors, like voting and volunteering. 69% OF STUDENTS DEMONSTRATED AN INCREASE IN CIVIC MOTIVATION

22 23 FROM THE PRESS FINANCIAL OVERVIEW GENERATION CITIZEN & THE GROWING FIELD OF DEMOCRACY EDUCATION

BOSTON GLOBE THE VILLAGE VOICE GC increased its revenue substantially this year, demand-building initiatives through partnering with the Learning civics from a textbook is like learning how to drive Generation Citizen, along with other community through a combination of increased local fundraising Ford Foundation to host a convening and create a set by reading the owner’s manual of your car. Instead, we organizations and leaders, spearheaded a grassroots and the addition of significant new national donors, of working groups focused on building demand and should give young people the opportunity to get behind the campaign supporting a bill reducing the [NYC] community including the Ford Foundation, and the William and access to effective civics education. wheel and experience democracy firsthand. Programs and board age limit from eighteen to sixteen years old. The bill, Flora Hewlett Foundation. Our local sites raised curriculums such as Generation Citizen are great models. which also allots up to two seats on each community board approximately half of our revenue in 2015, close We increased number of students served modestly, Roy Lincoln Karp, Roslindale. Member of the Legislature’s for the younger set, only just passed last summer. [Sarah] Special Commission on Civic Engagement and Learning, Andes said it's gratifying to see any applications come in, to a 20% increase over 2014. Site Directors drove while decreasing direct program expenses slightly. who has more than a decade of experience promoting civic but she hopes that eventually two teenagers will sit on each this increase through partnering with local boards, This was due to greater economies of scale in delivery, of New York City's 59 community boards. education in the Boston area. increasing fee for service income by 50%, and securing the addition of teacher-led programming in NY and RI, Christine Chung. new foundation and corporate income. and timing of a few staff transitions. Through careful management of overall spending, we were able to Local expenses increased modestly by $100K over finish the year with a modest surplus of revenue over THE HILL ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL FY14. These increases included deeper investments expense. We are projecting a mostly level expense in fundraising capacity through our site directors, and budget for this year and increased revenue; enabling ...In order to both create a more equitable education system, In our democracy today, young people turn 18 and are and promote a better democracy, we need to start by better expected to suddenly participate in democracy, despite the hiring of a new Managing Director who brought GC to take important growth steps at the national and educating our young people to be active citizens. The vast having little to no experience in making decisions about additional capacity in terms of financial management site level in the years ahead. array of problems inflicting our democracy, from inequality the public structures that affect them the most. We don’t and staff oversight. We also took on new national to increasing polarization, requires the cumulative efforts of do this with other fundamental skills. Young people...learn our entire democracy. Starting with young people. to drive before receiving their driver’s licenses and work in Scott Warren, Generation Citizen Co-Founder & Executive internships before beginning a profession. We do our best to Director with teach necessary skills in young people as future adults. But SUPPORT & REVENUE FY2014 FY2015 2015 LOCAL VS NATIONAL Peter Levine, Associate Dean for Research at Tisch College, we fail to do this for civic engagement. REVENUE CIRCLE (The Center for Information and Research on Civic Rep. Javier Martínez / Democrat, Albuquerque with Individuals $312,283 $524,562 Learning and Engagement) Scott Warren, Generation Citizen Co-Founder & Executive Director Foundations $507,033 $576,756 Corporate $31,475 $119,325 Earned Income (Fee for Service) $85,210 $127,355 LOCAL 51% 49% NATIONAL51% 49% In-Kind (Volunteer Labor) $611,684 $595,934 PROVIDENCE JOURNAL SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER TOTAL REVENUE $1,547,685 $1,943,932 As a youngster, I figured I had a pretty good handle on civics. Whether it was extending the right to women, people of I mean, I could nearly recite the entire 1976 “Schoolhouse color or those under the age of 21, the opposition always Rock!” segment, “I’m Just a Bill.” argued that these Americans were not capable or informed enough to make voting decisions... Or that they were already EXPENSES FY2014 FY2015 But if you spend a little time on Smith Hill or Capitol Hill, you represented by their husbands, masters or parents. In the quickly realize there’s more to how the legislative process debate over allowing younger Americans to vote, these same works in real life. So it’s good to see that a nonpartisan arguments are being repeated. Yet they still ring hollow. Our Personnel $583,293 $557,724 nonprofit called Generation Citizen is now giving high school democracy was founded on the principle that each person’s Direct Program Expenses and middle school students some real-world experience in right to vote is self-evident, regardless of whether they aced School and Teacher Support $43,157 $42,383 identifying issues, conducting research, marshaling support or failed their high school civics class. and pressing for action. Democracy Coach Support $19,062 $15,615 Nick Josefowitz, BART board of directors, San Francisco, Evaluation and Curriculum $26,847 $38,709 Edward Fitzpatrick, Journal Columnist and Generation Citizen Bay Area Board Member with In-Kind (Volunteers) $611,684 $576,000 Scott Warren, Generation Citizen Co-Founder & Executive Director. TOTAL Direct Program Expenses $1,456,361 $1,361,431 Administrative Expenses $139,943 $208,783 Fundraising Expenses $194,062 $316,747 TOTAL REVENUE $1,791,174 $1,886,961

24 25 OUR BOARDS OUR SUPPORTERS

NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SUPPORTERS FISCAL YEAR 2015: JULY 1, 2014 - JUNE 30, 2015 NAME AFFILIATION LOCATION JOINED $100,000+ $5,000 - $9,999 Douglas Jensen $500 - $999 Kevin Kroen Gary Blank SVP Public Affairs & Policy, Fidelity Investments Boston, MA 2015 Draper Richards Kaplan Anne Lovett Fredric Andes Sue Lehmann Foundation Anonymous Nina and Mark Angelo Mintz Levin David Flink Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Eye to Eye New York, NY 2015 William and Flora Hewlett Richard C. Barker Oliver and Martha Bennett Foundation The Bay and Paul Foundations Office of New York City Council Ambar Bhattacharyya member Mark Levine Tom Fry Managing Director, Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation Boston, MA 2012 Mark Chmiel Tref Borden Sherif Nada Edwin Cohen Jeffrey Bussgang Navigant Consulting Julie Hudman Principal, Julie Hudman Group , CA 2015 $50,000 - $99,999 David Crane Tom Byrne Steven and Roberta Denning Lisa Neary Karl Coiscou The Catalog for Giving of Cara Macksoud Lisa Issroff Vice Chair, Issroff Charitable Foundation New York, NY 2013 Colgate Palmolive Joel Copperman New York City Silvia Mahan Jason Fish Melanie Dulbecco Ford Foundation Pamela Mann Louise Langheier Executive Director, Peer Health Exchange San Francisco, CA 2009 General Electric Alison Eichler David and Laurie Hodgson Stephanie Morimoto Genzyme Elliot Epstein Pinkerton Foundation Old Mutual Andrew Offit Special Advisor to the Mayor of Somerville Boston, MA 2012 Hyde and Watson Foundation Kristin Ford Mary and Jerome Vascellaro Carol Ostrow John Hancock Financial Services, Jascha Franklin-Hodge Judy Pace Thomas J. Panitz Managing Director, DebtX New York, NY 2012 MLK Summer Scholars Christopher Freda Nick Josefowitz Ben Pinczewski PricewaterhouseCoopers Margaret Poster Chief Operating Officer, Willkie, Farr & Gallagher LLP New York, NY 2014 $25,000 -$49,999 Richard Katzman Alexandra Robert Gordon Steven Rattner Elfenworks Foundation Shelly London Alan Harlam Research Engineering & Dr. Sylvia Rousseau Professor of Clinical Education, Los Angeles, CA 2015 Laura and John Fisher Nancy Lublin Martha Higgins Manufacturing, Inc. USC Rossier School of Education F.A.O. Schwarz Family Foundation MFS Management Julie Hudman Foundation for Civic Leadership Cassie Murray and Bill Plapinger Carmen Rodriguez Swanee Hunt The San Francisco Foundation Matthew Segneri Director, Social Enterprise Initiative at Boston, MA 2012 Gamble Foundation Thomas Panitz Luciana Jabur Ethan and Elisa Schreiber Harvard Business School The Issroff Family Foundation Margaret Poster Liberty Square Group Andy Offit Regan Remillard Vijay Singh Gail Miller State Street Foundation Yanev Suissa Founder, SineWave Ventures , DC 2013 Wellington Management James Ritchie Dominique Mugin Foundation Cristine Russell Tina Sutorious Colin Murphy Gary Syman Mary Vascellaro Chair, Community Volunteer in Arts and Education San Francisco, CA 2010 Westly Foundation Sasaki Associates Kai Nissley Brandi Shipp Lou Tamposi George Nippo Melissa Vail Scott Warren Co-Founder and Executive Director, Generation Citizen New York, NY 2009 Richard Steel Jimmy O’Keefe $10,000 - $24,999 TUGG Nick Way Katie Pakenham Yesware The White Family Foundation Deborah Pierce Anonymous WeWork Jacqueline Young Catherine Pincince John Carter Eastern Bank Foundation Jenny Zhang David Preskill LOCAL BOARD CHAIRPERSONS Con Edison Cynthia Eckes Putnam Associates Fidelity Investments David Ehrich Adam Robitaille Libby and Craig Heimark Robert Flanders David and Joan Schulman NAME AFFILIATION LOCATION JOINED Herb Block Foundation David Fubini Craig Schumard Stephen Chan Chief of Staff, The Boston Foundation Boston, MA 2014 Microsoft Michael Gallagher Matthew Segneri The Rhode Island Foundation Andrew Given Greg Share Silvia Mahan COO, Cor Media San Francisco, CA 2015 Seth Sprague Educational Brian Goldsmith Betsy Shimberg and Charitable Foundation Grasshopper Pembroke Strickland Betsy Shimberg Director, K-12 Education Programs at Providence, RI 2014 Joan and Paul Sorensen Josie Green Yanev Suissa Swearer Center for Public Service, Brown University State Farm 2015 Good Neighbor Michael Grobstein Andrew Swanson Citizenship Grant Hinckley and Allen Bradley Waugh Brandi Shipp New Business Development, Time Inc. New York, NY 2014 Office of New York City Council Leslie and George Hume Naida Wharton member Ritchie Torres I.F. Hummingbird Foundation Glenn and Randee Warren Investors Foundation

26 27 DON’T TALK ABOUT CHANGE. LEAD IT.

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