EMPOWER Students!
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EMPOWERStudents! is a leadership development program that engages college and high school students in civic action, student organizing, voter registration & education outreach, event coordination, program development, and local politics.
EMPOWERStudents!, gives young people the skills and opportunity to practice effective citizenship and mobilizes students to; investigate big social problems, come up with practical solutions, convince the media and public to pay attention, and get decision-makers to act.
Bringing students together from across San Diego County, EMPOWERStudents! coordinates networking and action among high school, community college, and university students.
This program to encourages students to become locally and civically engaged regardless of age, citizenship or voting status.
Watch excerpts from an EMPOWERStudents! meeting:
Join our EMPOWERStudents! volunteer/intern team.
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The EMPOWERStudents! Volunteer/Intern Team is currently working on these types of projects:
- Community Civic Education & Voter Engagement
- Translation & Bilingual Communications
- Fundraising, Donor Development & Member Outreach
- Local Government Watch, Media & Web communications
Interns also participate in skills-acquisition, leadership development, and civic engagement trainings.
In 2010, EMPOWERStudents! Interns contributed 1293 hours doing policy research, voter engagement, youth mentoring, event planning, grant writing, volunteer coordination, language translation, and video production.
Students from Lincoln High School participated in the "Green Jobs: Fighting Poverty and Pollution" event, which brought Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins of Green for All to San Diego. One of these students, likely the youngest in the room encouraged the gathering to consider the role of youth in the Green Jobs movement. The event was attended by over 200 participants including representatives from labor, community and environmental organizations, as well as individual activists, students, workers, and politicians.
In the coming months, EMPOWERStudents! is working to encompass more students, especially from the community colleges and high schools throughout San Diego.
Empower has seen that when provided with resources, training, and mentorship, this often overlooked demographic can identify policy priorities, self-advocate, and meaningfully participate in decision-making.
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