Mikva Challenge Top 10 Moments of 2008!

Thank you for making 2008 one of the best Mikva Challenge years ever and giving Chicago area youth a chance to experience the excitement and challenges of our democracy in real and powerful ways. Here are 10 Memorable Moments from 2008 (in no particular order) that you helped to make happen!  

MIKVA CHALLENGE TOP 10 MOMENTS OF 2008

1. Students present 31 Powerful Civic Activism Projects at the 5th Annual Civic Activism Fair. Over 1,000 students tackle tough issues like homelessness, youth employment, and teen pregnancy and push their leaders for real changes in their schools and communities.

2. Mikva recruits and trains over 4,000 high school students to serve as judges of election in 2008. These young people have transformed elections in Chicago and are a huge help to the smooth functioning of Chicago elections.

3. 40 Young People Campaign in Iowa in the first caucus of the year and meet the all of the major candidates.

4. 60 Young People Campaign in New Hampshire in the first Presidential Primary of the year. Students meet all of the major candidates here, too, and attend candidate forums.  

5. 225 students take campaign trips to Indiana and Wisconsin during the Fall General Election. In all, Mikva spends 9 days with students in swing states.

6. Mikva's Education Council hosts a Peace Summit for over 320 young people and Mikva provides peace grants of $500 to student-run peace projects at 17 Chicago high schools.

7. Mayor Daley and Education Secretary-Elect Arne Duncan hold a press conference to announce a $50,000 contribution from CPS to Mikva's Peace Grant efforts and express support for the 5 Peace and Leadership Councils Mikva runs at high-need schools.  

8. Mikva Challenge launches 2 city-wide Youth Councils on the issues of Teen Health and Youth Safety. City Commissioners meet with student leaders and begin to work with them to attack these problems in new ways. Teen Health students begin monthly radio shows with Public Health Commissioner Dr. Terry Mason.

9. Mikva hires 66 high school students to serve as summer interns in the offices of elected officials and receive advanced leadership and activism training from Mikva staff.

10. Mikva Challenge takes 26 students to Barack Obama's Inauguration. OK, this won't happen until 2009, but it was too cool not to mention!  

On behalf of the Mikva Challenge Board of Directors, Staff, Teachers, and Students, we wish you a great holiday season and new year. Thanks for helping the Mikva Challenge team train the next generation of civic leaders and for believing in the talents and potential of Chicago youth.

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