Mikva Youth in the Media Spotlight

We wanted to keep you in the loop: it seems like all of Chicago is talking about Mikva youth! In the last few weeks, our student judge program was covered on every major Chicago TV broadcast (check out this CBS segment) and the Elections Program kick-off was featured in the Chicago Tribune and on a show about Chicago Public Schools. In addition, Mikva's Teen Health Council spoke with Public Health Commissioner Terry Mason on his WVON radio show about reducing STDs and unwanted pregancies among teens. Chicago youth have a voice - and it is being heard loud and clear this election season!  

We hope you can take a moment to read a couple of these stories. We think they'll inspire you during this very political season and give you hope about the future of our democracy. Our staff is inspired every day by the intelligent, engaging work our youth are doing.   If you haven't already, we would love for you to join our 1000 Donor Campaign. Even donations of $5 or $10 are sincerely appreciated and help make these programs happen for Chicago young people. Thanks for your continued support of Mikva Challenge!

Want a Guaranteed Win in November? Support the

Mikva Challenge!

This is an exciting presidential election season and I've met many people who are nervously pulling for their favorite candidate to win on November 4th. I tell these folks, though, that I have the cure for their anxiety and a way to guarantee a win this election season. The remedy is to support a civic education program that is working to create a generation of active, thoughtful and ethical citizens and leaders - the Mikva Challenge!
  
In the long run, our democracy can only function well if the citizenry is educated and engaged. Please support Mikva Challenge's youth programs with a donation this election season. As you'll read below, Mikva is one of the most innovative and effective civic engagement programs in the country. What other organization do you know of that recruits and trains 2,800 high school students to work as election judges? Or takes 6 trips to the swing states of Wisconsin and Indiana to let Chicago kids experience the heat and excitement of the presidential election?     

Please make a small investment in the long term health of American democracy.  Invest in the Mikva Challenge. 

Thank you,      
Brian Brady, Executive Director
Mikva Challenge

MIKVA SHATTERS PREVIOUS STUDENT JUDGE RECORD!

With Election Day almost here, Chicago youth are eagerly participating in the political process. Ciana Ashton, our Student Judge Coordinator, has recruited an astonishing 2,800 high school youth to serve as election judges - 1,000 more students than last year!    Working with Chicago's Board of Elections, Mikva staff will train and place these youth in every voting precinct in Chicago. With such a large number of student judges, they'll comprise nearly 20% of all city election judges this year!   Roberto Beltran, a student at Carl Schurz High School on the northwest side who served during the Illinois primary, told us, "I enjoyed being able to become familiar with the voting process and helping people to vote. I liked that I was able to witness something as great as voting [after] the long process that was fought for the right to vote. I saw that in action today."

STUDENTS CAMPAIGN IN SWING STATES

Mikva youth are in the center of the action this fall campaigning for McCain and Obama in swing states Wisconsin and Indiana. Mikva will take a total of 215 high schoolers to canvas, door-knock and phone-bank in these two battleground states, hoping to persuade voters to support the candidate of their choice.   "The hands-on experience of campaigning really gets the students excited," says campaign program director, Rich Feffer. "They're so used to getting lectured about civics that they love getting to do so much on the Mikva trips." One student from each school in our campaign program will also get to travel to the Inauguration ceremony in Washington, D.C. in January. On last weekend's trip to Kenosha, WI, Simeon Career Academy senior LaToya Tanniehill was overcome by the experience. "Even though I'm not old enough to vote, I love being able to express my opinion and be a part of the process." LaToya and her peers may have even persuaded a few undecided voters!

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