Walking into the Mary Lyon Pilot High School on a chilly October morning brought back many familiarāalbeit, long forgottenāmemories of my own high school experience. The linoleum tiled floors, corridors decorated with studentsā work, and characteristic classroom decor featuring maps, posters, inspirational texts, and heavy-duty plastic furniture put me right back in the secondary education… Continue reading Stacking the Building Blocks of Change
Category: Blog
“Extending Toward Infinity”
I was originally introduced to Generation Citizen in 2011, when my wife connected me to Scott Warren, GCās founder and Executive Director.Ā Scott spoke passionately about observing elections in Kenya alongside his father, a US diplomat, and realizing in this experience that active participation is how one gains a zeal for civics.Ā Ā I had been… Continue reading “Extending Toward Infinity”
Just Pass the Damn Ball
One basketball game during my senior year of high school, I was dribbling the ball down the court, leading my team on a fast break.Ā I looked right, looked left, looked right again, and then finally passed.Ā Having taken way too much time to review each option in front of me, I threw the ball… Continue reading Just Pass the Damn Ball
(Creating) The Amazing Race
There are lots of important and drama-filled campaigns underway in NYC, from those of Borough Presidents to District Attorneys. Our mayoral primary race was like watching those contests on the screen at baseball games ā one clear front-runner at the beginning, confusion and jockeying for the lead in the middle, and then a surprise breakaway… Continue reading (Creating) The Amazing Race
GC Students at Highlander Charter School Meet Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
One of the reasons I love teaching middle and high school is the ability to ākeep things realā with my students. To listen to them dive into current national and global issues, supporting their opinions, opposing othersā, realizing the impact these events can and often do have on their own daily lives here in lilā… Continue reading GC Students at Highlander Charter School Meet Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
Why Should GC Grow?
For a number of reasons, scale is on Generation Citizenās collective mind right now.Ā As we head into our fourth year, and have programs operating in four sites, the question of how to expand our programming is becoming more pressing, and will be the leading topic of conversation in an upcoming Board of Directors meeting.Ā … Continue reading Why Should GC Grow?
An Open Letter to Democracy Coaches…
Dear Exhausted-But-Diligent Democracy Coach, I know. I get it. I remember waking up in a dark room, rising before the sun did. My roommate groaning at my blaring alarm, crawling deeper under his covers as I eat my Cinnamon Toast Crunch and review the dayās lesson plan. My eyes mere slits until I get my… Continue reading An Open Letter to Democracy Coaches…
“It’s Like Introducing Sushi to Bahawalpur”
“It’s like introducing sushi to Bahawalpur.” I was having lunch at my friend’s house when her dad and I started talking about work, politics and the civics program I’m working to introduce to Pakistani schools. A mere three months in development were enough to explain his wariness of implementing a foreign idea here in Pakistan.… Continue reading “It’s Like Introducing Sushi to Bahawalpur”
Is it Possible to Be Positive About our Government?
Itās been a difficult few weeks for our old American government.Ā From the two-week shutdown to the continued debt ceiling brinksmanship to the disappointing rollout of the Obamacare website, it is hard to find anyone that is positive about the direction of our political system.Ā The rest of the world vacillates between poking fun at,… Continue reading Is it Possible to Be Positive About our Government?
Breakdance for Democracy: DC Alumni Profiles
Kids from urban neighborhoods in Boston donāt often find themselves at prestigious colleges such as Brown, but Aiyah Josiah-Faeduwor did. Ā He was born in West Virginia, but spent most of his life in Bostonās Dorchester neighborhood, where almost half of all families earn less than $25,000 a year. When he got to Brown University,… Continue reading Breakdance for Democracy: DC Alumni Profiles