CIRCLE Study Shows YouthBuild Builds Leaders

A major new study by CIRCLE, Pathways into Leadership: A Study of YouthBuild Graduates[link], shows that a significant number of YouthBuild graduates go on to become leaders in their careers and communities. Many of them hold public office or are church officials. More than one-third of the students surveyed for the study have become professional educators or youth workers. Find more information here.

Welcome Felicia Sullivan and Nancy Thomas to the CIRCLE team!

Felicia Sullivan joins CIRCLE as Senior Researcher this month. As Senior Researcher, Felicia will be working on a range of analyses and co-producing reports for various audiences. Felicia is particularly interested in supporting groups and organizations that seek to create new environments that enliven and support civic participation and political empowerment. Felicia is working on her doctoral degree in public policy from University of Massachusetts Boston and holds a Master degrees in media studies and public policy. Find out more about Felicia here.

Nancy Thomas is joining CIRCLE, directing CIRCLE’s Initiative for the Study of Higher Education and Public Life and Campus Counts, a national study of college student voting rates and patterns. She joins CIRCLE and Tisch College after five years as Director of the Democracy Imperative, a national network of academics and civic leaders working to strengthen democracy in and through higher education. Find out more about Nancy here.

United Teen Equality Center (UTEC) Advocates for Lowering Voting Age to 17; CIRCLE Would Evaluate Initiative if Passed

Youth in the United Teen Equality Center (UTEC) in Lowell, MA  advocated for a bill to lower the voting age in Lowell to 17 in municipal elections. On June 28, 150 youth and supporters of UTEC’s Vote 17 Lowell campaign held a successful rally at the Massachusetts statehouse in support of a bill (#H1111) that would achieve that objective. The AP wrote a recent story that was reported in various media outlets throughout the country. Teen leaders Corinne Plaisir and Carline Kirksey were guests on NECN’s Broadside with Jim Braude. Carline was also interviewed on WBUR last week. VOTE 17 was reported on national television on FOX News last week.  And just this past Friday, the teens were in the Lowell Sun again after CIRCLE’s Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg (also a resident of Lowell, MA) shared the endorsement and a commitment to working with UTEC on evaluating and researching the VOTE 17 effort if the bill passes.