Hon. Abner and Zoe Mikva are two of Chicago's leading citizens with storied careers in public service and activism. The creation and development of the Mikva Challenge, a national leader in the field of participatory civics, is one of Abner and Zoe's proudest accomplishments. On March 12, 2009, friends and supporters of Abner and Zoe Mikva and the Mikva Challenge will gather at Chicago's Hyatt Hotel to celebrate the success of this organization and to honor the lives and careers of the Mikvas. This event, co-chaired by William M. Daley, Samuel K. Skinner, Judy Gaynor and Steven Cohen, will feature Mikva Challenge youth and teachers as well as a special keynote presentation.
As a Mikva Challenge friend, we hope that you will consider joining us for this once-in-a-decade special event. Now more than ever, the strength of our democracy relies on thoughtful, engaged and ethical citizens, and Mikva Challenge students and alumni are truly such examples to their peers across Chicago and the country. Table sponsorship and ticket pricing information are available
on our website, or you can contact Kelly Rolf (
kelly@mikvachallenge.org) at (312) 863-6390 with questions about the event.
Thank you,
Brian Brady, Executive Director
| 10th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION & TRIBUTE TO ABNER AND ZOE MIKVA | |
 DATE: Thursday, March 12, 2009
PLACE: Hyatt Regency Chicago, Crystal Ballroom
TIME: 5:30pm Reception
6:30pm Dinner and Program
8:30pm Evening Concludes |
| INAUGURATION TRIP RE-CAP | |
by Harini Srinivasan, Mikva Challenge Intern
This month, an anxious group of 26 Chicago high school students made its way to the nation's capital to witness the historic inauguration of their 44th President, Barack Obama. Waiting in lines almost six blocks long, these Mikva Challenge youth clustered with the million other attendees to celebrate and share in a life-altering experience. Whether liberal, conservative, or somewhere in between, they were proud to have been a part of the process that brought this new president to power.
 One student on the trip said that for her, the inauguration "reaffirmed that WE have the power to make change! We have the power to take a stance and make sure that politicians hear us. After all, they are our representatives." For over a year, these Mikva students have been canvassing for politicians, knocking on doors and persuading the public. By developing their leadership capabilities now, these young people are grabbing the reigns of their future. As one student stated, "Mikva has opened my eyes to the power and voice that I have in politics."
We also would like to thank Senator Durbin and Mikva supporters for giving these students the opportunity to be a part of history. Such generosity empowers our students, ignites their passion for civic knowledge and creates activists who will change their communities. A lot of cool stuff is happening at Mikva Challenge this week! Our youth are talking about their campaign work on national news and blogging live from the inauguration in Washington, D.C. Mikva youth leaders also held a peace conference for 320 students in Chicago today. We hope you can take a moment to read about these committed young leaders! | CBS NATIONAL NEWS WILL PROFILE MIKVA YOUTH ON JAN. 20 | |
CBS Nightly News with Katie Couric will air a segment on Mikva young leaders tomorrow night, January 20th, at 5:30pm CT (6:30pm ET). Be sure to tune in!
You can also watch a clip of inauguration-bound Mikva students on CBS-2 News Chicago from Friday, Jan. 16, by clicking here.
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| READ STUDENT BLOGS ON THE YOUTHNOISE WEBSITE! | |
Twenty-six Chicago high school students have been in Washington, D.C. all weekend lunching with elected officials, touring historic sites and getting ready to witness the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama tomorrow morning. These young activists and future civic leaders are blogging live from our nation's capitol on the YouthNoise.org site.
A special thanks to Sen. Dick Durbin for providing inauguration tickets to Mikva youth and to our generous supporters for making this trip possible!
Click here to read about the students' experiences in D.C. in their own words.
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YOUTH LEADERS TAKE ACTION WITH PEACE PROJECTS
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Over 320 students gathered for Mikva's 2nd Annual Peace Conference at Walter Payton Prep today, where they learned conflict resolution skills and how to attack the root causes of violence in their schools and communities. Arne Duncan provided Mikva youth leaders with $50,000 to give out to fellow students who are initiating peace projects in and around their schools. Students at the conference submitted 25 grant proposals on the spot and plan to begin implementing these peace projects immediately. |
Thanks for your continued support. Please continue to follow the development of our programs and their impacts on young people. Democracy is a Verb! |
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