You may be too young to vote,
but your voice is powerful.
We want to hear it. Enter a contest. Show us your America.
CONTEST #7 — MAKE YOUR SPEECH
It’s official: YOU won the 2024 election!!
It’s January 2025, and YOU are about to be inaugurated as the next President of the United States. You’re magically old enough for the job and about to take the stage.
Congratulations, POTUS!
Now step up to the podium: What do you want to say? Will you inspire us? Unify us? Educate us? Motivate us? The platform is yours.
Tell us your vision for the country under YOUR administration!
The contest runs Aug. 22 through Oct. 15
Judged by an all-star lineup of civic leaders:
NATE BARGATZE
Stand-up comedian, star of Netflix’s "Hello, World!"
ALLISON RUSSELL
Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter, poet
Ann Patchett
Bestselling author of nine novels, bookstore owner
Check out the twelfth issue of our first-of-its-kind youth-powered civics magazine WATCH US RISE!
Here’s Issue #12:
Check out the eleventh issue of our first-of-its-kind youth-powered civics magazine WATCH US RISE!
Here’s Issue #11:
Check out the tenth issue of our first-of-its-kind youth-powered civics magazine WATCH US RISE!
Here’s Issue #10:
We are thrilled to announce the launch of SUNN, the Students United News Network.
SUNN is our fast-growing coalition of some of the strongest high school and undergraduate newspapers nationwide.
We see responsible, inspired student journalism as a form of lived civics education – a powerful, immediate way to help students deepen their relationship to their communities and strengthen their understanding of politics and democracy, while fostering media literacy to boot. We’re curating, rewarding and mentoring some of the best student journalism in the country, lifting up young voices and building the newsrooms and civic leaders of tomorrow.
Check out the ninth issue of our first-of-its-kind youth-powered civics magazine WATCH US RISE!
Here’s Issue #9:
Check out the seventh issue of our first-of-its-kind youth-powered civics magazine WATCH US RISE!
Here’s Issue #7:
Check out the eighth issue of our first-of-its-kind youth-powered civics magazine WATCH US RISE!
Here’s Issue #8:
ANNOUNCING the remarkable winners of our "Show Us Your Nashville" contest!
All across Nashville, yards are filled with signs promoting the names of candidates running for office – people with big ideas for the future of our city. In the coming weeks, voters will choose our new mayor and elect members of the Metro Council, which creates local policies and provides essential urban services. Elections are an important way for civic leaders to share their vision for progress.
But what is the future you see? What is one positive change you would make in Nashville if the voters put you in charge?
8-12 Category
First- Kamillia H., 10 Second- Tie Noelle A. & Maddie T., 11 & 12 • Issac M., 11 Third- Harper H., 12
13-18 Category
First- Stella G, 14 Second- Tie Mary Alice P., 17 • Ansley M., 14 Third-Tie SJ C., 17, • Tatiyanna F., 13
CONTEST #6 — SHOW US YOUR NASHVILLE
What positive changes do you want to see in our city?
All across Nashville, yards are filled with signs promoting the names of candidates running for office – people with big ideas for the future of our city. In the coming weeks, voters will choose our new mayor and elect members of the Metro Council, which creates local policies and provides essential urban services. Elections are an important way for civic leaders to share their vision for progress.
But what is the future you see? What is one positive change you would make in Nashville if the voters put you in charge?
Maybe you envision a state-of-the-art public transit system. Maybe you see a new approach to relief for food insecure and unhoused Nashvillians. Maybe you have a plan to improve safety at your school. Maybe you see ways to make Nashville carbon neutral or hopeful approaches to climate resilience. Maybe you see green roofs, community gardens and civic art projects, expanded city parks, or stronger municipal recycling and composting programs.
We want to know what young Nashvillians imagine for our city!
The contest runs Aug. 8 through Sep. 22.
Judged by an all-star lineup of civic leaders:
DR. ADRIENNE BATTLE
Director of MNPS
SEN. BILL FRIST
Former US Senate Majority Leader
REP. JUSTIN JONES
Member of TN House of Representatives
RUBY AMANFU
Artist & Civic Leader
Check out the Winners of Contest #4: "Sing Your Anthem"
Celebrating music lovers, ages 8-18! This contest, which ran through mid-October, invited middle and high schoolers to write and perform their own national anthems: songs that represent their values and vision for their communities and country.
Judged by an all-star lineup of musicians:
Darius Rucker
Rhiannon Giddens
Jason Isbell
Genesis Be
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from Kidizenship in accordance with our Privacy Policy."Make Your Speech" contest winners
HELP US BUILD THE NEW CIVICS MOVEMENT
OUR MISSION: To help kids learn to value their communities, participate in democracy, and build the unity our society needs. Engaged kids become citizens who VOTE.
Check out the entire Kidizenship contest series.
Leading up to the 2020 election, Kidizenship is hosting a series of contests to showcase the voices of young Americans. If you’re between the ages of 8 and 18, we want to hear from you. Whether you’re a musician, a designer, a writer, or an aspiring politician, we have contests to reward your talents and ideas on American democracy. Find the contest that inspires you most, or enter them all.
