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If 2020 has proven anything, it’s that young people are problem-solvers. They lead through times of struggle. And they deserve a seat at the decision-making table.  

In August, America’s Promise and The 74 co-hosted a youth town hall about the return to school in the era of COVID-19 ([link removed]). Over the past month, we’ve partnered with The 74 on Dear Adult Leaders: #ListenToYouth—a five-week series of open letters from high school students to decision-makers in their states and communities. The letters call for specific and actionable changes on issues that arose from the town hall as top-of-mind this school year: from shifting to a pass/fail grading system during the pandemic, to formally teaching about mental health, to declaring systemic racism a public health crisis, to instituting formal mechanisms for youth input.

Though each of these letters shares a unique story and perspective, one common theme stands out: young people do not want to shy away from hard conversations. As Trinity Woodson, America’s Promise youth board member, shared in her closing letter ([link removed]): 

“Topics like the civil rights movement and how to handle stress and anxiety are often discussed for about 30 minutes in the classroom before moving on to the next task of the day. But this generation is demanding an end to that. We have recognized that these issues affect students on a daily basis and deserve more attention from the education system.” 

EXPLORE THE LETTERS ([link removed])

To help youth-supporting leaders prepare for and engage in these difficult but important conversations, the Center for Promise at America’s Promise Alliance has developed a discussion guide focused on engaging with young people about issues that have been top-of-mind this year and moving into 2021. Developed as a complement to the original ([link removed]) youth engagement guide focused on social, emotional, and cognitive learning, this new guide addresses many key topics discussed in the letter-writing series and in the August town hall. Our hope is that school, district, out-of-school time, and community leaders who wish to make more informed decisions can use this guide to facilitate conversations with young people about:  

navigating the COVID-19 pandemic; 

race and racism; 

virtual, hybrid, and in-person learning; and

communicating across ideological differences. 

CHECK OUT THE GUIDE ([link removed])

In the words of former youth trustee Gabe Abdellatif: “Young people have the capacity to handle more than you might think.” From leading an international movement to combat climate change to leading critical conversations in their schools and communities every day, we’ve been humbled and excited to partner with young people in 2020. We’re looking forward to seeing what they bring to the table in 2021. 

HELP SPREAD THE WORD WITH JUST ONE CLICK

We encourage you to share this opportunity with your networks using the sample tweet below!

📝Dear Adult Leaders:📝   
See students’ open letters on issues, such as: addressing race & racism in schools and including youth in decision-making in the series #ListenToYouth from @americaspromise & @The74: [link removed] pic.twitter.com/dKEHG397VT ([link removed])

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