With the explosion of populist social media, young people aren’t always able to distinguish the difference between legitimate sources of information, biased commentary and political spin.

The goal of the Mikva News Media Initiative is to provide curriculum and professional support to Chicago teachers in developing students’ ability to access and assess reliable information, to understand the crucial role that the media plays in a well-functioning democracy, to discuss contemporary issues in a civil and thoughtful way, and to develop a hunger for and appreciation of being up to date on current events.

About Us

Mikva Challenge is a non-partisan nonprofit whose mission is to develop youth to become informed, empowered, and active citizens and community leaders. We do this by engaging youth in action civics, an authentic and transformative learning process built on youth voice and youth expertise.

In 1998, Mikva Challenge began as a small pilot program with an all-volunteer staff running an electoral engagement project in four schools. Fifteen years later, Mikva has grown this strategy of real-life democracy education into five robust “Action Civics” programs that serve over 6,000 high school students and 130 teachers at 110 schools across the Chicago Metropolitan region. Our three main program areas – electoral participation, youth policymaking, and youth community problem solving – teach young people civic knowledge and leadership skills while transforming their attitudes about political participation. These programs focus on helping young people achieve success in schools, in their careers, and in life.

Impact

 

• Mikva Challenge will distribute the News Literacy curriculum and provide professional development and support to 60 teachers and 2,000 Chicago high school students participating in Mikva’s Action Civics programs

 

• Over 500 youth leaders will use RepresentMeChicago.org to voice their opinions and engage in dialogues with public officials.

 

• 88% of eligible Mikva alumni are registered voters (versus only 59% of 18-29 yr. olds nationwide), and 93% of registered alumni voted in the 2012 Presidential Election (vs. 42% of 18-29 yr. olds nationwide)

 

• 68% of Mikva alumni continue to participate in community service (vs. only 36% of 18-29 yr. olds nationally)

 

• 87% of Mikva alumni believe they have the power to make change (vs. only 55% of 18-29 yr. olds nationwide)

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