April 2010


Do You Know How Mikva Challenge Celebrates Spring?

Happy Spring! Mikva Challenge is celebrating this Spring by inviting you into our world - where you will find confident, active young people taking action and making a change in their communities and schools. Last week, we hosted our Spring Fundraiser; and this Saturday, we are pleased to hold our 8th annual Civic Activism Fair. Here is a snapshot of the two event.

An Evening with Mikva Challenge... and More!
 
On Thursday, April 22, we hosted our Spring Fundraiser: "An Evening with Mikva Challenge... and More!"

Kenwood Students at 10th Anniversary BenefitWe bought out the house of the acclaimed NPR show, Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me! and held a reception prior to the taping. Many Mikva stakeholders - politicians, community leaders, students, teachers, parents - were in attendance at the event. Governor Pat Quinn, Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, and Attorney General Lisa Madigan also came out to show their support of our work with young people in Chicago.

It is at events like these that adults are given the opportunity to see the awesome work of our young policymakers, activists, and civic leaders. Our students and alumni attest to the success of our approach of engaging young people in the democratic process today!

Photos from "An Evening with Mikva Challenge... and More" event will be available on our website soon.
Civics Fair 2010
 
This Saturday, May 1st, from 10am-12:30pm, Mikva Challenge is pleased to host its 8th annual Civic Activism Fair at Little Village-Lawndale High School.

Civics Fair 2009Think Science Fair, but instead of model volcanoes and planetary installations, our Civics Fair features action projects that aim to address community issues.

Mikva's 2010 Civic Activism Fair will feature 35 schools showcasing 61 projects (up from 48 last year). Below is a sneak peak of a few of the action projects you will find at this year's Fair:
  • Brooks College Prep students are lobbying Chicago Public Schools to include a unit on teen dating violence in the freshman health curriculum. In fact, they testified yesterday at the Chicago Public Schools Board meeting.

  • Concerned about the environment and their community, Little Village-Lawndale High School students are working with community organizations to convert vacant spaces (like parking lots) into green "community" spaces.

  • Al Raby High School students are concerned with outdated technology in their school. They are raising awareness on this issue in an effort to gain funding to upgrade their school's technological systems. 
  • Lincoln Park High School students focused their project this year on the global water crisis. They created a water meter project for Chicago area residents.
  • Vaughn High School students are troubled by gang violence in their school and community, and are lobbying for increased after-school program funding through a media and awareness campaign.
Mikva's Civics Fair offers a wonderful opportunity for attendees to see how student projects address some of the most difficult issues in our city. It's not too late to become a judge for this event! Please contact emma@mikvachallenge.org if you would like more information. 
 
Thank you for joining us as we celebrate Spring! Please continue to follow our work as we gear up for our summer programs.
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