CIVIC-MINDED: These students from the Lawrenceville School are among the recipients of a grant from the Carnegie Corporation’s Institute for Citizens and Scholars. The program is new and involves students from 27 states across the country.
By Anne Levin
The politically charged atmosphere of the past several months has, inevitably, made its way onto high school campuses. At the private Lawrenceville School, a group of students decided to take it upon themselves to encourage productive discussions that would lead to better understanding of disparate views.
Their efforts have been recognized by a new initiative known as the Institute for Citizens and Scholars. Students Roshan Hoban, Miranda De Olden, Andrew Zhang, Jahan Hoban, and Connor Hwang have been selected for the inaugural Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness fellowship, joining 500 young changemakers from 27 states who are committed to strengthening their communities and democracy.
Funded by a grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York, the program gives students aged 14-24 with up to $7,500 per team in funding, stipends, mentorship, and access to a national network of peers and civic leaders.
“I saw a lot of friendships break up over political tension on campus,” said rising senior and team leader Roshan Hoban, who is from Newtown, Pa. Hoban and fellow rising senior De Olden, who is from Princeton, had co-founded Lawrenceville’s Civics Club, which is non-partisan and dedicated to civic dialogue about current events.
“To have a space where people can talk about politics and facts is really important,” said Hoban. “We got people to talk to each other.”
“We felt it was really urgent when there was so much going on nationally,” said De Olden. “We opened it to a wider school community. We hosted workshops on topics like immigration, economy, and foreign policy. There was a lot of tension on campus. We did try to keep our debates policy-focused rather than ideology-focused. We created a space that stood in sharp contrast to polarization, where kids could share their opinions without judgement.”
Hoban found out about the Carnegie Corporation competition through a friend. “You submit a proposal of a project you want to do, to get people civically engaged in your area,” he said. “We thought this was a perfect opportunity for us. We wrote up a proposal in the middle of finals week.”
The Lawrenceville team’s initiative is titled “United Voices: A National Civics Coalition for Youth Dialogue and Civic Education.” The group plans to form a national coalition of civics clubs in high schools across the country, “fostering political communication and educating younger students on the values of civic engagement,” reads a description on the Carnegie Young Leaders website. “Their vision is to inspire a generation of high school students who engage in respectful political dialogue with those holding different views, working toward common ground and a healthier democratic culture.”
Other teams recognized with grants cover a variety of topics, from gerrymandering and voter turnout to mental health and saving the environment.
According to the press release, the experience “aims to empower the next generation of civic leaders. Unlike programs that simply provide funding, the Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness puts real decisions and real responsibility in the hands of its fellows. They are trusted to zero in on what truly matters in their communities and make it happen.”
The team will participate in a year-long series of virtual and in-person activities, including leadership workshops, networking, and a capstone project. They hope to bring civics to the local community, including outreach workshops for fourth- to eighth-graders in the Lawrence Township-based Every Child Valued nonprofit.
“When we started, we weren’t sure what we were doing,” said Hoban. “But now we figure we can give students in other schools our experience — getting over the hump of awkwardness more quickly. And if just a couple of other schools participate, we can have so much more impact.”
The students plan to build a website, after which they plan to brainstorm ideas and reach out to principals of area schools. “We’re trying to spread out into the community, and see how it goes,” said Hoban.
De Olden added, “What Civics Club is all about is getting comfortable with the uncomfortable. People get nervous. They don’t want to offend anyone. We create discussion guidelines so we have respect during conversations. It’s kind of like a tool kit, coming together with mutual respect.”
“It’s really about embracing disagreement,” said Hoban. “If you’re talking to someone who already agrees with everything. You’re saying, that’s great. But there’s not much impact. It’s about figuring out what values shape someone’s opinions. Figure out the common denominator.”