ANNUAL REPORT 2011
engage. empower. educate.
engage.
educate.
empower.
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ABOUT GENERATION CITIZEN
Generation Citizen’s mission is to empower historically under-represented youth to become active participants in the democratic process. To fulfill our mission, GC partners college volunteers with teachers to facilitate “Action Civics” classes in low-income secondary schools.
Students at Hope High School identify the three branches of government
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ANNUAL REPORT 2011 | 5
Generation Citizen’s work is based upon the prinicpals of action civics where Youth voice is encouraged, valued and incorporated to the fullest extent possible.
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Providence students vote for the Student Choice Award at Rhode Island Civics Day
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DEAR FRIENDS In Generation Citizen, civics is the best class at school. The word “civics” often has quite negative connotations. People think of it as the boring subject in school, where students learn how a bill becomes a law, and take a test about it. Generation Citizen, however, thinks that this subject can be the most exciting at school. A real world lab. Where action meets civics. And there may be no more important time for the subject than now. As the country gets ready for a pivotal 2012 election, politics is all around us. What should we do about our economy? Our health care costs? Our schools? We need all citizens, Republican, Democrat, or none of the above to participate on these issues. But most importantly, we need our young people to be involved. Even if our national politics can be difficult to take in, I can tell you that there is nothing like the power of seeing a young person engaged in our democracy for the first time. This happens every day in a Generation Citizen classroom. In Boston, our students met with local city council people about getting a teen center built. In Rhode Island, our students convinced their State Representative to introduce a bill on hunger, and then testified in front of the legislature. In New York City, our students partnered with local police officers to enact a gang prevention program. As a student at Jonas Bronck Academy in New York City said, ““I love GC because they listen to us. We have a voice!” Thank you for your continued support as we grow. Together we will put the action in “Action Civics.”
Scott Warrenw Executive Director BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mary Vascellaro Chair, Community Volunteer in Education and the Arts Edwin Cohen Carlin Ventures Alan Harlam Director of Social Entrepreneurship, Brown University Louise Langheier Davis CEO, Peer Health Exchange Katie Pakenham New Profit, Inc. Gwenn Snider Winnetu Resort Timothy R. Bowers Attorney, K&L Gates Scott Warren, Generation Citizen CONTACT INFORMATION Boston: 89 South St Boston, MA, 02111
Scott Warren
NYC: 373 Park Ave South New York, NY, 10016
Executive Director
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Students present their issues to judges at Civics Days
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GENERATION CITIZEN AT A GLANCE
IN THE 2011-2012 SCHOOL YEAR, WE WILL WORK WITH: PROGRAM BY LOCATION 35 SCHOOLS 160 CLASSROOMS OVER 4000 STUDENTS OVER 250 COLLEGE MENTORS
BOSTON, MA
104 College Mentors in 18 schools reaching 1,675 students
OVER 90 CLASSROOM TEACHERS 11 COLLEGES
NEW YORK, NY
100 College Mentors in 15 schools reaching 1,575 students
PROVIDENCE, RI
48 College Mentors in 12 schools reaching 750 students
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Students in Providence, RI present to Education Commissioner Deborah Gist 10
GENERATION CITIZEN STUDENTS IN ACTION
SOME EXAMPLES OF OUR ACTION INCLUDE: Hope High School
Malden High School
Providence, RI:
Malden, MA:
Student at Hope High chose to combat the issue of
Residents of Malden have to pay for specific trash
hunger in Rhode Island. They held a food drive that
bags on top of there taxes to throw away waste through
brought in a half-ton of food and conducted a school
the Department of Public Works. Students and their
survey and found that hunger touched more of their
families were angered by this. So the class met with
fellow students than they had realized. They then
Ron Zanazzo, the Director of Solid Waste in Malden.
convinced their State Representative to introduce
Ron told the class how this program (Pay as you Throw)
legislation which would allow residents to designate
helped to reduce waste by 50%. He said that although
a portion of any state income-tax refund to the Rhode
he is out on the streets trying to educate residents
Island Community Food Bank. The students testified on
everyday, most of the time he cannot communicate
its behalf.
with them because they don’t speak English. The class made informational flyers in different languages for
Their efforts were featured in the Providence Journal
Ron to use and requested funding from an Earth Day
by columnist Bob Kerr, who noted: “It’s a small thing
technology recycling event for recycling bins at
in the grand political scheme. But what Hope students
Malden High.
and their teacher and their mentors have done is show that no matter what challenges a school is facing in the mad economic crunch, there will always be a place for the excitement of new ways of learning and making a difference to take hold.”
This past year, 4,000 students engaged in our Action Civics curriculum.
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MENTOR PROFILES
In the Fall of 2009, Evelyn Nimaja, a junior at Central High School, was a student in a GC class. In the Fall of 2011, she became a GC Mentor…as a freshman at Brown University.
EVELYN NIMAJA’S STORY
Towards the end of my junior year, I was involved with the GC program and was criticized by my classmates for trying to be involved in an area that was not “suitable” for someone like me. For a whiale I believed everything my classmates had said but it wasn’t until I talked to my GC mentor that I truly began to accept the reality of it all. I have the power and ability to make a difference in my society and greater community. Coming from an urban, low-ranking, and under-performing school, GC gave me the skills and confidence to approach any situation with an open-mind and knowledge that my voice truly matters.
EMMA ANSELIN’S STORY
GC has been one of the most important experiences of my college career. It has allowed me to truly make a difference in the lives and perspectives of students. I have witnessed the amazing things that students can achieve with the faith and guidance of their mentors. GC has also given me the opportunity be part of a community of amazing and driven Brown students, and to explore my own passions. GC has instilled in me the importance of empowering students to pursue their aspirations.
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“ We lead students to make change in their communities by partnering trained college volunteers with secondary school teachers to implement an “action civics” curriculum.”
EVELYN
EMMA
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GENERATION CITIZEN’S FUTURE
Generation Citizen has just
PHASE 1: STRENGTHENING SYSTEMS (2011)
PHASE 2: BUILDING CAPACITY (2012)
PHASE 3: EXPANSION (2012-2015)
IMPACT
4,000 students
7,500 students
20,000 students
ANNUAL BUDGET
$350,000
$500,000
$1,000,000
BENCHMARK
Expand to six full time staff members
Hire Site Directors in NYC & Boston
Expand to 1 new site each year
begun a comprehensive and ambitious five-year growth plan. In five years, we will be working with 20,000 students per year, at a budget of over $1 million. We need your support to help us become the truly transformational organization we know we can become.
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OUR SUPPORTERS
$10,000+: AMBASSADOR Echoing Green Foundation
Stephanie Morimoto & Matthew King
Patrice Hutton Sejal Jhaveri
Students from Central High in Providence wish you all a Happy Holidays
Catherine Kelleher
Blessing Way Foundation Libby Heimark
$500-$999
William Kimzey
Mary and Jerome Vascellaro
Judi Burson
Virginia Klun
Technology Underwriting
Dexter Donation
Louise Langheier
Greater Good (TUGG)
ProvidenceMayor’s Office
Aleta Margolis
Fidelity Investments
Corey Mailette
David Mauer
Silerman Family Foundation
Katie Pakenham
Nina McMurry
The Rhode Island Foundation
The Sutcliffe Family
Diane and Kevin McMurry
Rita Allen Foundation
Jesse Steinberg
Michael & Susan Millenson
$1,000-$9,999:
UP TO $499
Joshua Portnof
FOUNDING SUPPORTER
Onesimo Almeida
Andrew Sandler
Layla Amjadi
Barbara and Brian Andes
Matt Schiller
The Boston Foundation
Corrine Augustine
Mark Sloan
Foley Hoag Foundation
John Bagwell
Emma Sloan
Laura Fisher
Douglas Brown
Laurel Stolte
John NatoliThe Boston
Jill Carlson
Jessica Warren
Foundation
Marlene Feil
Jeanine Willig
Maurine Heard
David Flink
Al & Nancy Wright
Malden School District
Charles Harding
Edward & Kathleen
Alan Harlam
Chris and Kathy Mills
McKinley
Kaitlin Hassler
Eleanore Nissley
Ned Hazen
James O’Keefe
Abigail Hein
Gwenn & Mark Snider
Jefferey Henriques
Jack and Susy Wadsworth
Laura Henriques
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FINANCIAL SUMMARY
STATEMENT OF ACITIVITES FISCAL YEAR: JUNE 1, 2010, JUNE 30, 2011
SUPPORT AND REVENUE Individuals Foundations
$72,631.84 $122,744.32
Corporate
$20,000
Earned Income (Schools)
$12,550
TOTAL DONATIONS
$227,926.16
EXPENSES Program Services General Operating Expenses Fundraising TOTAL EXPENSES
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$130,016.12 $54,424.83 $1,575.54 $186,006.49
Increase in Net Assets
$49,919.67
Net Assets, Beginning of Year
$27,354.38
NET ASSETS, END OF YEAR
$69,274.05
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