This past spring, the Committee of Seventy launched a new partnership with Ceiba to teach young Philadelphians core civic skills that will empower them to engage in their community as they grow into adults. Over 300 young people, ages 6 through 18, worked with C70 educators at afterschool sites across the city leading up to the primary, learning about the election, local government, and how to make their voice heard.
This summer, C70 and Ceiba continued their work with over 150 youth from summer programs at Taller Puertorriqueño, Concilio, and Providence Center, who worked with C70 educators Zoraida Cordero and Astrid Escobedo to identify issues that mattered to them and develop a strategy for problem-solving. Activity culminated with an event on August 15th at Taller, as 40+ youth and family came to celebrate summer-long projects on civic engagement. They presented their solutions at the celebration. Afterwards, C70’s lead community educator, Anne Spector, presented a sample lesson as part of our Democracy for Kids program. (Pictures from the event are available here.)
“We were thrilled to be working with the Committee of Seventy and our community partners to show how important civic engagement is to young Philadelphians,” said Will Gonzalez, Executive Director of Ceiba. “Even if they aren’t able to vote yet, they are learning valuable habits about living in a community.”
C70 will continue to work with Ceiba and other Philadelphia providers in the 2023-24 school year. If you know an out-of-school program that is interested in partnering with C70, please contact us.