Generation Citizen

Year Founded: 2010

Generation Citizen’s mission is to build an education movement that equips and inspires young people to transform our democracy. They envision a world in which young people are at the forefront of creating a more just, participatory, and inclusive democracy with greater equity in representation and outcomes. Generation Citizen is transforming how civics is taught by providing real-world education with an equity-centered approach.  

Generation Citizen (GC) has a multi-faceted approach to its work. The organization partners with schools and school districts to implement its signature experiential civics education curriculum in classrooms through teacher training and coaching, prioritizing school communities that have not historically had access to quality civic learning. Generation Citizen also provides leadership development and advocacy training to young people who are GC alumni, preparing them to participate in coalitions and policy campaigns. Generation Citizen is an America Forward coalition member, and advocates for the equitable adoption and funding of civics education in schools, increased resources for high-quality teacher professional development, and for increased student voice and decision-making in policymaking at the state and federal level.

Generation Citizen (GC) has positively impacted the academic engagement, civic knowledge, and social-emotional learning of over 215,000 students across the country with its experiential civics curriculum. In the 2023-2024 school year, 99% of students gained civic knowledge, 98% felt confident expressing their views, and 88% felt comfortable reaching out to decision makers about important issues. Understanding civics and critical thinking is essential for developing a generation capable of driving real change. In the 2024-25 school year, GC plans to expand its reach to more than 45,000 students in states including Massachusetts, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, California, Kentucky, Texas, and Pennsylvania, with likely expansion to Washington, Vermont, New Jersey, Connecticut, and North Carolina.