Listen to Kids for a Change!

Read the Call to Action

What you can do:

> Invite your mayor, school board members or city council members to come to your school, afterschool program or classroom to listen to what kids have to say about learning and their education.

> Work with the local newspaper and have them publish op-eds by kids on October 14th that focus on kids views of leaning, how/when/where they have fun learning.

> Work with the local newspaper to feature stories told by kid reporters that cover issues including how the schools are working, great after school programs, and how to make learning fun.

> Organize a group of kids to go visit policymakers in your community. This could include the mayor, city council members, school board members, state legislators, the governor, and members of Congress. Work with the young people ahead of time to set up the meetings and develop a list of talking points for the meetings. Notify the press ahead of time so that they can cover the story of young people being their own best advocates on learning and education.

> Invite policymakers to attend Lights On for Afterschool events in your community. As part of the Lights On program, give young people a time to speak publicly to policymakers about their views on learning, education, afterschool and other related issues.

> Organize an event at city hall, or the state house in which young people speak publicly about their views on the issues in front of a large audience that includes policymakers -- give the policymakers a chance to respond/acknowledge the young people's concerns.

> Work with young people to request a hearing on learning and education in your state legislative body. Ask the education committee to hold a special hearing that focuses on kids and learning, and that has kids testify about what works best to engage them in learning.

> Organize a "kids hearings" and make a video for community cable channels.

> Kid reporters interview policymakers about education and NCLB.

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