Can civics education be the key to career success? Join us as we explore this compelling question with Allison Cook, the Chief Program and Impact Officer at Generation Citizen. Our discussion reveals how essential skills like critical thinking, teamwork, and ethical decision-making acquired through civics education aren't just for passing exams—they're crucial for thriving in any professional environment. Together, we unravel the intertwined roles of civic engagement, media literacy, and financial literacy in shaping informed citizens and responsible contributors to a vibrant workplace culture.
Educators, take note! Discover Generation Citizen's dynamic approach to empowering teachers and engaging communities. We discuss the organization's innovative support system, which includes professional development and adaptable curriculum materials designed to resonate with students. Allison takes us through the art of authentic teaching, where project-based learning turns local issues into practical lessons, enhancing student engagement with their civic surroundings. This isn’t just about teaching—it’s about creating a collaborative environment where students and community members bring real-world problems and solutions.
Young voices matter more than ever, and this episode emphasizes the power of youth civic engagement. Allison and I delve into how youth can drive change long before they reach voting age, offering fresh perspectives often missed by adults. Personal stories, like the impactful example of Aunt Sarah, illustrate how close connections can ignite a passion for civic involvement. As we discuss pathways for students to foster democracy through programs like Generation Citizen, we leave with renewed hope and enthusiasm for the democratic journey ahead. Join us to learn, be inspired, and perhaps discover your path to making a difference.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Liz (00:00):
Hey everyone, welcome back Today.
We're thrilled to welcomeAllyson Cook, a dedicated
advocate for equity in educationand a leader in innovation in
curricular development.
Allyson is a lifelong learnerwho has spent the last 12 years
ensuring that students andteachers have access to the
resources and support they needto thrive.
Currently serving as the chiefprogram and impact officer at
(00:22):
Generation Citizen, she leadsthe organization's effort to
scale an equity-centeredcurriculum, strengthen teacher
training and enhance coachingsupports, all to empower
students to be informed, engagedcitizens.
Before joining GenerationCitizen, Allyson spent seven
years at College Spring, whereshe reimagined teacher training
(00:43):
and developed a coaching modelthat built foundational skills
for college and career readiness.
Her passion lies in equippingyoung people with 21st century
skills, fostering characterdevelopment and expanding access
to high quality educational andprofessional pathways.
She also works to engagefamilies and communities in
student academic success.
(01:05):
Join us as we dive into theconversation with Allyson
about her journey, the power ofcivic education and how we can
create more equitable learningopportunities for students.
Let's get started.
I feel like I always say I'mexcited, but I have a really
cool job.
So I get to meet so manyamazing people, and Allyson and
I were in a meeting and we justkind of started talking.
(01:26):
I'm sure there were otherpeople in the meeting, but I
really focused on you because Iwas like, yes, we think alike,
we have a lot of things incommon in the civic world and
how we kind of think aboutthings, especially youth.
So I am over the moon to haveyou on the podcast.
So, Allyson, I'm going to letyou introduce yourself and tell
(01:48):
us a little bit about GenerationCitizen.
Allyson (01:51):
Thank you so much, Liz.
I am also over the moon to havethis conversation One because,
just as much as work is anopportunity for me to live and
exist in the world, I couldn'tbe more excited to have a
conversation about somethingthat just is meaningful to me as
a human being and means that Iget to have impact and really
(02:13):
ensure that I am contributing tosociety in a really meaningful
way.
So yeah, my name is Allyson Cook.
I serve as the ChiefProgramming Impact Officer at
Generation Citizen, and we are anational nonprofit organization
that really works to ensurethat all young people are
equipped with the knowledge andskills to participate in
(02:33):
democracy.
We do this throughcommunity-based civics, where we
are really ensuring thatstudents learn how to identify
and address issues in theircommunities by becoming engaged
and informed citizens.
Right now, as the Chief ProgramImpact Officer, I lead a really
dynamic team of contentdevelopers, instructional
designers and evaluation folkswho really work to ensure that
(02:57):
our staff on the ground alsohave the coaching supports to
ensure that they can supportteachers.
In my work, I really focus onemphasizing the importance of
building strong relationships,not just with adults but also
with students, and reallyensuring that students are
guided to their full potential.
Liz (03:16):
I just love that.
So my first question for youyou know we're looking at career
readiness for students, right?
What is the connection betweencivics and supporting skill
building for students for theircareer readiness?
Allyson (03:30):
Such an important question and really during a
critical time, and there reallyis a powerful connection between
civics education and supportingskill building for students and
career readiness.
It's not just aboutunderstanding how the government
works, but it's also aboutdeveloping the skills and
dispositions necessary to be anengaged and effective member of
society, which really translatedirectly to the success in the
(03:54):
workplace.
So I think about this in acouple of different ways.
First and foremost, criticalthinking and problem solving.
Civics encourages analyzinginformation, a lot of
information, evaluating manydifferent perspectives and
really forming evidence-basedarguments, which are essential
skills for navigating complexworkplace challenges, debates
(04:16):
and group projects.
Civics teaches students how towork effectively with others,
communicate ideas clearly andbuild consensus, which is
crucial for teamwork andleadership in literally any
career.
Of course, I also think aboutcivic engagement and social
(04:38):
responsibility.
Civics really is a powerfulmechanism that instills a sense
of responsibility to one'scommunity and encourages active
participation in addressingsocial issues.
This translates to ethicaldecision making, a sense of
purpose, a sense of belongingand the ability to contribute
positively to workplace culture.
(05:00):
What we're seeing acrosseducational initiatives,
information and media literacyIn today's world, navigating
information overload andevaluating sources is critical.
Civics education really doesequip young people with a set of
skills to discern what'scredible, identify bias and also
make informed decisions.
(05:21):
And, of course, as grown adults, this is something that we're
doing on a regular basis in ourcareers.
And then the last point thatI'll highlight is advocacy and
persuasion.
Civics empowers students toreally identify issues that they
care about, develop persuasivearguments and advocate for
change.
These skills are valuable inany career that involves
(05:43):
negotiation, presenting theirideas or influencing others.
So, when we think about successin the workplace, really
fostering these particularskills are related to civics
education, and they preparestudents not just for their
future careers but for activelyengaging in citizenship right
now, which, I think we can allagree, ultimately benefits both
(06:05):
individuals and our collectivesociety.
Liz (06:09):
I love that because I think sometimes people think civics
and they just think here's abunch of facts, but it really
does prepare you for the realworld.
As you're going through thislist, I'm like I need that in my
job.
I need that in my job, like Ineed all of these.
So it is.
It's such a powerful thing todo.
So you did talk about medialiteracy.
So what are the connections,then, with media literacy,
(06:31):
financial literacy, things likethat?
Allyson (06:34):
Absolutely so.
In any place in the world youreally do need these three
things civics, media literacyand financial literacy and
they're all deeply intertwined.
And really, when you thinkabout fostering all three of
these skills, we're coming backto the same thing of empowering
young people to be informed,responsible and engaged.
(06:56):
So here's how they connect.
Civics is really the foundationaround informed decision-making
, where we're providingknowledge for understanding,
again, how the government works,economic systems and social
structures.
This foundation really isessential for that informed
decision-making about your ownpersonal finances, evaluating
media messages about economicissues and advocating for
(07:18):
policies that promote financialwell-being.
I also think again about activeparticipation.
Again, we don't need to waituntil we're 18 or 21.
Civics and getting involvedright now really encourages
active participation indemocracy.
So, again, our young people arenot citizen-in-waiting, they're
citizens right now, and thatgoes beyond voting, so engaging
(07:40):
in public discourse and holdingelected officials accountable.
This active participation iscrucial for advocating for the
policies that really supportfinancial literacy and fair
economic practices that arereally going to support informed
choices in the marketplace.
And then I also think aboutwhat role media literacy plays.
(08:00):
So we're thinking about thefact that information is
literally at our fingertips atany given moment of the day, and
so media literacy reallyempowers students to critically
analyze what those mediamessages are related to money,
finances and economic issues.
Students will be able to reallylearn how to identify bias,
(08:20):
evaluate resources and discernfact from fiction, which is
literally what is top ofconversation whenever I'm
talking with a teacher or even aparent.
Media literacy also encouragesresponsible creation and sharing
of information related tofinances and economics.
This really helps combatmisinformation and promotes
(08:40):
informed public discourse onimportant financial issues.
And then the last point aroundfinancial literacy's impact.
We really have this economicempowerment.
Financial literacy equipsstudents with the knowledge and
skills to manage their ownpersonal finances effectively
and make informed financialdecisions, ultimately building
financial security.
And anytime I'm having aconversation with a young person
(09:03):
, they always say why aren't wetalking about financial literacy
in the classroom?
This seems like a missedopportunity, and so what I love
about really being a part of anorganization that talks about
civic engagement, it really isadvocating and understanding
those financial concepts andsystems that are really
essential for informed civicengagement.
And so when we think aboutstudents who actually have
(09:23):
financial literacy and thatdeeper understanding, they're
then able to go out in thecommunity and advocate for
stronger economic policies,advocate for policies that
promote financial fairness andreally ultimately make
responsible choices as consumersand investors, which, again,
the young people that those arethe roles that they're going to
be taking over very soon.
So, really, civics providesthat framework for understanding
(09:47):
how society and economicsystems function together.
Media literacy provides thetools to navigate all of the
information that's coming out ofmany different forms, that is
surrounding these systems, andthen financial literacy really
puts individuals to makeinformed and responsible
decisions related to thesesystems.
Liz (10:08):
I love that, especially financial literacy, like it
doesn't have to just be a siloedthing that teachers teach.
It can be a part of this biggerconversation and again, not
just things for students tomemorize, spit back on a test.
This is real life.
This is going to actuallyimpact them.
Yes, so one of the things thatyou and I kind of bonded over is
(10:29):
teacher support.
Right, because teachers areasked to engage with young
people, follow state standards.
How can we help teachersauthentically do this?
You know, not just read from ascript.
How does Generation Citizensupport teachers and how do you
engage with the community?
Allyson (10:48):
Absolutely.
We did an activity this weekwith our entire Generation
Citizen team that reallygrounded us to remind us the why
we do this work.
And so when I think aboutsupporting teachers and the work
I get to do with my team and mycolleagues every day,
supporting teachers is a part ofmy why, and so Generation
Citizen really recognizes thatteachers are such an impactful
(11:11):
part of the process when wethink about supporting young
people.
Oftentimes they're the onesthat know the students better
than us as parents.
Sometimes, right, they spendall of their time in the
classroom with our, with ouryoung people, and so I take that
as a great responsibility.
And so what does it mean toprovide support to these
teachers?
Really, I see it in two bucketsone providing professional
(11:32):
development and ongoing supportand resources, and then the
second bucket really isfostering a supportive school
culture.
And so at Generation Citizen,we do this by offering
professional development andtraining workshops on a myriad
of things related to civics,education, gaps in their
community that they care about,and so we do this by really
(12:02):
providing teachers withessential spaces to have those
conversations.
We provide not justprofessional development and
training workshops, but we alsoprovide coaching opportunities
for teachers where we canactually have a Generation
Citizen staff member come to aschool, have a virtual coaching
session where we dive deep intowhat are the effective
strategies for incorporatingstudent voice and choice.
(12:24):
We also provide access to highquality curriculum materials and
supplemental resources thatreally do align with standards
at a state level but also allowroom for flexibility and
student-centered adaptations.
As a former classroom teacher,one of the things that was
really important to me wasmaking sure that I had some
autonomy in taking content andlesson plans and making them
(12:47):
work, providing adaptations thatwork for my teaching style and
facilitation style, but also toreally incorporate what mattered
most to my students being thatwe all have different needs.
And the last element related tosupport for teachers that I'll
talk about is really creatingopportunities for teachers to
collaborate and share bestpractices with each other.
(13:08):
Right now, what's reallyimportant is a community, for so
many different reasons, andwhen we talk with teachers,
they're often saying I want tolearn from more generation
citizen teachers, and so we areactively working in states to
bring teachers together fortheir program-launched teacher
training, where they're able tohear about what does it mean to
be a generation citizen teacherand share those best practices,
(13:30):
and all of this does lead toreally fostering a supportive
school culture.
So we do, from a practical lensand a partnership lens, focus on
what does it mean to encouragea school-wide culture that
values student voice, respectsdiversity and promotes a sense
of belonging for all students.
Again, I mentioned theopportunity for teachers to
adapt the lesson plans to meetthe needs of students, not just
(13:53):
from their interests but alsofrom an instructional level, but
then offering that ongoingsupport and mentorship, where we
do include opportunities forpeer observation and feedback.
And so Generation Citizenreally values being entrenched
in the communities that we serve.
And so we're often thinkingabout what does it mean to be a
part of a school culture thatalready exists and how do we
strengthen this, this notion ofelevating and valuing student
(14:16):
voice and choice?
Liz (14:21):
so there's so many nuggets in there.
I love because I asked aboutauthentic teaching and I think
that one of the biggest waysthat you allow somebody to be
authentically themselves isproviding them a framework, but
letting them look at theirclassroom, look at their
learners and say how can I adaptthis to best serve the needs of
my students?
And that, to me, is authenticteaching.
(14:42):
And I I'm over like I'm justbursting that you said that and
I also love the coaching.
Right, it's not just drive by PD, it's not just hey, here's an
hour, it is, we're going to bethere, we're going to help you
and, kind of, you know, makesure that if you have questions,
because I think a lot of timesI mean, you know we're both
(15:09):
former classroom teachersSometimes you have these amazing
lesson plans and then inpractice you're like, well, that
didn't work, but havingsomebody to talk to about it and
really work through that issuch a powerful thing for
teachers in their classroomsthat I think sometimes PD isn't
always able to do.
And that's one of the things Ilove about Generation Citizen is
it is a bigger model than justsit for an hour, get what you
(15:30):
need and we'll see you later.
Allyson (15:33):
Yes, you hit it nail on the head with all of that.
Liz (15:35):
Okay, so we talk about authentic teaching and whatever
else, but you talked a lot aboutengaging with the community.
What does it mean toeffectively engage with
community?
Allyson (15:46):
Such a great question, and I often think that's what
differentiates GenerationCitizens civic education model
from some other organizations isbecause we're not going to let
go of the community.
We do have a local, place-basedmodel, even though we are a
national organization, but we dorely on the relationships and
the stakeholders within thecommunity to support the
(16:09):
implementation of our civicscurriculum.
And so we have studentsbuilding relationships with
community organizations andleaders to really identify the
local issues and opportunitiesfor collaboration.
So when students are engagingwith the curriculum, teachers
are really the ones stewardingand creating the safe space for
students to kind of say this isan issue in our community.
We want to build consensus onaddressing these issues, and it
(16:32):
doesn't just stop there.
Students are actually encouragedto go outside of their school
walls, whether it's emails,whether it's letters, whether
it's phone calls to talk tolocal vendors, elected officials
what have you, depending onwhat the focus is of their
project or their issue.
And so when we think aboutproject-based learning, it's
this opportunity to have anexperiential, hands-on
(16:53):
experience, but also takestudents to engage deeply in
their community and talk topeople.
We also invite communitymembers into the classroom to
share their expertise and theirexperiences with students, and
so those are the opportunitieswhere we're bringing those
outside the school communitywalls, folks that actually may
(17:15):
have decision making power onwhat happens in a particular
community.
And so what's unique about thisexperience for young people is
they often don't have thoseoutlets or channels to make
those direct conversations orthose touch points, but by the
Generation Citizen team andtheir teacher, we're supporting
them and having thoseconnections and then letting
students do the talking, not theadults, and this really does
(17:37):
provide that opportunity forstudents to engage in authentic
civic action projects thatreally address real world issues
in their community.
We actually had a conversationfor an impact webinar yesterday
with a student who was talkingabout just those things the
opportunity to say I didn't havethe opportunity to talk to
someone in the community beforeGeneration Citizen, and so it
(17:58):
really is about not just what'shappening in a school community
but the larger local communityand how to make those
connections, which I think canbe challenging when you don't
have a mechanism or a vehiclethat can support you in that
process, which again is why Ithink the coaching element of
our teacher support model is key, because we're asking teachers
(18:18):
to do more, but how do we alsosupport them in doing that, and
so it's really powerful to see,at our local civics days that
happen a few times a year, it'sreally powerful to see students
having the microphone andtalking to the adults, but then
the adults also asking questionslike well, how can I support
you after today?
What does the support tomorrowlook like?
And really take their projectsto the next level, beyond just
(18:42):
the four walls of a classroom,beyond just the curriculum
lessons as they stand.
So it really makes thecommunity experience real for
young people, where they do taketheir projects outside of the
community and have furtherconversations to really ensure
that they're closing the gaps intheir community.
Liz (18:58):
And that circles back to what we talked about at the
beginning, like these areworkplace skills.
Yes, right, they can developprojects, and I think that
students are often afraid totalk to elected officials or
like to reach out, and it isalways been amazing to me that
they're nervous because I'm likeanytime I've reached out to an
elected official, a policeofficer, fire, like anybody in
(19:20):
the community, they're stoked totalk to students.
They want youth to haveinvolvement in their community.
Allyson (19:28):
Yes, absolutely.
I do often reflect on the factthat young people I think a
young person said to me recentlythat sometimes they're not
listened to and why is thatRight?
And I think there's there's avariety of different reasons as
to why young people sometimesaren't listened to and why is
that right?
And I think there's a varietyof different reasons as to why
young people sometimes aren'tlistened to.
But I think when we create theopen channels of communication
(19:52):
and young people know that theyhave the support of another
adult, it does give them theopportunity to stand in their
power right, which I think nowmore than ever is critical to
stand in their power right,which I think now more than ever
is critical.
We're experiencing a lot ofdifferent opinions, a lot of
frustration, and what we neednow, in these times, is
community.
And so how do we I think, a lotabout what we have conversations
(20:15):
around internally, atGeneration Citizen as well how
do we create that safe space?
And that's what civics days are.
Those are the moments wherewe're bringing students together
from all of our communityschool relationship partners and
we're giving young people theopportunity to showcase their
research projects, their focusissues, their solutions to real
world issues and the adults arejust listening or saying, like I
(20:38):
mentioned, how can I take thisto the next level for you?
How can I help you?
What does support look like foryou after today?
And so you're right, adultswant to listen.
But I really think whatGeneration Citizen can support
schools and support communitiesin doing is creating that
vehicle, which sometimes iswhere we just missed the mark.
We're all busy, we're alltrying to do the next best thing
(21:00):
, and so Generation Citizentries to meet schools and
communities where they're at andsay we can help you and provide
those vehicles where we'reelevating young people's voices
and adults are here to listenand respond to the call to
action.
Liz (21:14):
So can I ask why I think students sometimes think like
well, I'm not really a citizenuntil I can vote right Until I'm
18 years old, so why doanything before that?
What would your response tothat be?
Allyson (21:28):
Such a common, I want to say maybe a misconception.
But I think there are twothings that I think about.
One we always associate thatcivic engagement means voting.
That's one aspect of beingcivically engaged.
Civic engagement means being apart of your community, and
young people are often the oneswho are yielding solutions.
(21:51):
They have ideas.
I think as adults, we are busy,busy, busy, but young people are
the ones who are there at thepark, they're at the local
grocery store or bodega,providing an opportunity to have
a connection.
And so what does it mean?
To actively engage in yourcommunity and be civically
engaged is an opportunity foryoung people to say what they
(22:12):
want change to look like.
And I think that's themisconception too comes back to
adults.
How do we talk to adults?
And I think there's a lot ofpressure on young people to show
up and be politically corrector have all the right answers,
and, honestly, no one has theright answers.
We have a bunch of differentanswers, and so how do we build
consensus Right?
(22:33):
Thinking back to those 21stcentury skills and being ready
for the workplace is how do youbuild a team and a community
that can build consensus on?
Here's a challenge, here's asolution community that can
build consensus on.
Here's a challenge, here's asolution, and young people are
doing that.
They have those ideas, and so Ithink, for young people who say
, why should I get engaged?
You already have the answersthat we're looking for.
Liz (22:52):
We want to hear from you, so, yeah, I, I just I think that
youth don't Liz how powerfulthey are because, you're right,
adults are busy.
Adults also get kind of set intheir ways, right, like this is
the way we've done it, and theydon't sometimes have this fresh
perspective or the ability tokind of ideate right, and just
(23:14):
have conversations be like whatabout this, what about this?
And I love that you pointed outwe don't always need to have
the perfect answer.
We don't always need to bepolitically correct, right,
especially as youth.
It reminds me of the Ted Lassobe curious, not judgmental.
Like what do you mean by that?
Let's work through this and,and you're right, in challenging
(23:36):
times, community is the answer.
Allyson (23:39):
Absolutely, Absolutely.
I love it too.
I, I, I again.
You know we had a momentearlier this week as a team
where we reflected on our why,and we may not have the same
answer or the perfect answer forchallenges, but we all are
connected by this one missionfor one organization do need to
(24:00):
lead with curiosity at theforefront, and so I'm often
having those own reflections asan adult and thinking.
I often too reflect on like whatwas my experience as a young
person with civics, education,with community, and sometimes it
was a hit or miss.
But I do think my experiencesas a classroom teacher always
remind me that there are so manydiverse perspectives out there.
(24:22):
I'd be doing myself adisservice if I didn't create
opportunities to just hear whatthose other perspectives are and
were, at the time, Right, andso I never forget my classroom
teaching experience.
I am constantly trying to findopportunities to really ensure
that I as an individual, I'mlistening to young people but
also fostering safe spaces foryoung people to share, and I
(24:45):
think Generation Citizen justwants to continue as an
organization connecting withcommunities, hearing what
matters to them and figuring outopportunities for solutions in
real time.
Liz (24:57):
I love that.
I'm going to throw one morequestion at you, because we are
talking about civics.
Who is your favorite historicalfigure or civic, you know,
civic minded figure?
I don't want it to be just oh,somebody we learned about in
history class, like there aretons of people who had great
civic minds and who did so muchfor their communities.
Do you have a favorite?
Allyson (25:25):
Man.
I mean that is such a greatquestion me, of course, thinks
back to so many predominantlyrevered public figures who have
made a trailblazing mark inhistory, and I also think about
the folks that did that for mein a very intimate way.
Intimate way, and I'm going tosay my aunt Sarah she's no
(25:53):
longer with us, but she was sucha civically engaged adult I
would imagine, young person aswell who modeled for me what
does it mean to be civicallyengaged beyond just voting?
She was someone who was oftenbringing me to her own classroom
in Jamaica Queens, taking me onfield trips to museums and
reminding me that the world isyour oyster.
You know whether that's amuseum in your backyard, what
(26:16):
have you?
But she modeled what does itmean to be civically engaged?
By being there for her students, by being there for community,
showing up when someone needed ameal and didn't have a home or
a working fridge what have you?
And that to me is a definitionof community.
And so she modeled for me whatdoes it mean to be actively
engaged, not to be a citizen inwaiting?
And I always wonder what wouldshe say about the world today
(26:41):
and what I'm doing?
So sure, there are those publicfamous figures but I often
think about who had that reallyclose-knit impact on me, and it
was definitely my aunt Sarah.
Liz (26:52):
That is, I think, the perfect way to end this.
That is students.
It can just be the person nextdoor, it could be a relative,
and, yes, there are tons of menand women who helped build this
country, who helped get us towhere we are now, but sometimes
it is the community, it is thepeople who are nearest and
dearest to us, who make thebiggest impact.
(27:13):
So, alison, thank you so muchfor this conversation, for all
the conversations we've had.
I always leave ourconversations just feeling a
renewed sense of hope that thereare ways forward.
Right, we're in a challengingtime.
We face challenging timesbefore.
We will continue to facechallenging times.
(27:34):
I think that that's just lifein this experiment of democracy.
But places like GenerationCitizen allow teachers and
students a pathway, and I thinkthat that is so important.
So, thank you so much.
Allyson (27:49):
No, Liz, thank you, the feeling is mutual.
I feel ready to tackle whateveris next on the to-do list,
whatever is next for democracy,and thank you for creating a
space for me to openly shareabout what energizes me and
makes me feel, like you said,hopeful about what's to come.
Thank you so much, Liz.
Hey everyone, welcome back Today.
We're thrilled to welcomeAllyson Cook, a dedicated
advocate for equity in educationand a leader in innovation in
curricular development.
Allyson is a lifelong learnerwho has spent the last 12 years
ensuring that students andteachers have access to the
resources and support they needto thrive.
Currently serving as the chiefprogram and impact officer at
(00:22):
Generation Citizen, she leadsthe organization's effort to
scale an equity-centeredcurriculum, strengthen teacher
training and enhance coachingsupports, all to empower
students to be informed, engagedcitizens.
Before joining GenerationCitizen, Allyson spent seven
years at College Spring, whereshe reimagined teacher training
(00:43):
and developed a coaching modelthat built foundational skills
for college and career readiness.
Her passion lies in equippingyoung people with 21st century
skills, fostering characterdevelopment and expanding access
to high quality educational andprofessional pathways.
She also works to engagefamilies and communities in
student academic success.
(01:05):
Join us as we dive into theconversation with Allyson
about her journey, the power ofcivic education and how we can
create more equitable learningopportunities for students.
Let's get started.
I feel like I always say I'mexcited, but I have a really
cool job.
So I get to meet so manyamazing people, and Allyson and
I were in a meeting and we justkind of started talking.
(01:26):
I'm sure there were otherpeople in the meeting, but I
really focused on you because Iwas like, yes, we think alike,
we have a lot of things incommon in the civic world and
how we kind of think aboutthings, especially youth.
So I am over the moon to haveyou on the podcast.
So, Allyson, I'm going to letyou introduce yourself and tell
(01:48):
us a little bit about GenerationCitizen.
Allyson (01:51):
Thank you so much, Liz.
I am also over the moon to havethis conversation One because,
just as much as work is anopportunity for me to live and
exist in the world, I couldn'tbe more excited to have a
conversation about somethingthat just is meaningful to me as
a human being and means that Iget to have impact and really
(02:13):
ensure that I am contributing tosociety in a really meaningful
way.
So yeah, my name is Allyson Cook.
I serve as the ChiefProgramming Impact Officer at
Generation Citizen, and we are anational nonprofit organization
that really works to ensurethat all young people are
equipped with the knowledge andskills to participate in
(02:33):
democracy.
We do this throughcommunity-based civics, where we
are really ensuring thatstudents learn how to identify
and address issues in theircommunities by becoming engaged
and informed citizens.
Right now, as the Chief ProgramImpact Officer, I lead a really
dynamic team of contentdevelopers, instructional
designers and evaluation folkswho really work to ensure that
(02:57):
our staff on the ground alsohave the coaching supports to
ensure that they can supportteachers.
In my work, I really focus onemphasizing the importance of
building strong relationships,not just with adults but also
with students, and reallyensuring that students are
guided to their full potential.
Liz (03:16):
I just love that.
So my first question for youyou know we're looking at career
readiness for students, right?
What is the connection betweencivics and supporting skill
building for students for theircareer readiness?
Allyson (03:30):
Such an important question and really during a
critical time, and there reallyis a powerful connection between
civics education and supportingskill building for students and
career readiness.
It's not just aboutunderstanding how the government
works, but it's also aboutdeveloping the skills and
dispositions necessary to be anengaged and effective member of
society, which really translatedirectly to the success in the
(03:54):
workplace.
So I think about this in acouple of different ways.
First and foremost, criticalthinking and problem solving.
Civics encourages analyzinginformation, a lot of
information, evaluating manydifferent perspectives and
really forming evidence-basedarguments, which are essential
skills for navigating complexworkplace challenges, debates
(04:16):
and group projects.
Civics teaches students how towork effectively with others,
communicate ideas clearly andbuild consensus, which is
crucial for teamwork andleadership in literally any
career.
Of course, I also think aboutcivic engagement and social
(04:38):
responsibility.
Civics really is a powerfulmechanism that instills a sense
of responsibility to one'scommunity and encourages active
participation in addressingsocial issues.
This translates to ethicaldecision making, a sense of
purpose, a sense of belongingand the ability to contribute
positively to workplace culture.
(05:00):
What we're seeing acrosseducational initiatives,
information and media literacyIn today's world, navigating
information overload andevaluating sources is critical.
Civics education really doesequip young people with a set of
skills to discern what'scredible, identify bias and also
make informed decisions.
(05:21):
And, of course, as grown adults, this is something that we're
doing on a regular basis in ourcareers.
And then the last point thatI'll highlight is advocacy and
persuasion.
Civics empowers students toreally identify issues that they
care about, develop persuasivearguments and advocate for
change.
These skills are valuable inany career that involves
(05:43):
negotiation, presenting theirideas or influencing others.
So, when we think about successin the workplace, really
fostering these particularskills are related to civics
education, and they preparestudents not just for their
future careers but for activelyengaging in citizenship right
now, which, I think we can allagree, ultimately benefits both
(06:05):
individuals and our collectivesociety.
Liz (06:09):
I love that because I think sometimes people think civics
and they just think here's abunch of facts, but it really
does prepare you for the realworld.
As you're going through thislist, I'm like I need that in my
job.
I need that in my job, like Ineed all of these.
So it is.
It's such a powerful thing todo.
So you did talk about medialiteracy.
So what are the connections,then, with media literacy,
(06:31):
financial literacy, things likethat?
Allyson (06:34):
Absolutely so.
In any place in the world youreally do need these three
things civics, media literacyand financial literacy and
they're all deeply intertwined.
And really, when you thinkabout fostering all three of
these skills, we're coming backto the same thing of empowering
young people to be informed,responsible and engaged.
(06:56):
So here's how they connect.
Civics is really the foundationaround informed decision-making
, where we're providingknowledge for understanding,
again, how the government works,economic systems and social
structures.
This foundation really isessential for that informed
decision-making about your ownpersonal finances, evaluating
media messages about economicissues and advocating for
(07:18):
policies that promote financialwell-being.
I also think again about activeparticipation.
Again, we don't need to waituntil we're 18 or 21.
Civics and getting involvedright now really encourages
active participation indemocracy.
So, again, our young people arenot citizen-in-waiting, they're
citizens right now, and thatgoes beyond voting, so engaging
(07:40):
in public discourse and holdingelected officials accountable.
This active participation iscrucial for advocating for the
policies that really supportfinancial literacy and fair
economic practices that arereally going to support informed
choices in the marketplace.
And then I also think aboutwhat role media literacy plays.
(08:00):
So we're thinking about thefact that information is
literally at our fingertips atany given moment of the day, and
so media literacy reallyempowers students to critically
analyze what those mediamessages are related to money,
finances and economic issues.
Students will be able to reallylearn how to identify bias,
(08:20):
evaluate resources and discernfact from fiction, which is
literally what is top ofconversation whenever I'm
talking with a teacher or even aparent.
Media literacy also encouragesresponsible creation and sharing
of information related tofinances and economics.
This really helps combatmisinformation and promotes
(08:40):
informed public discourse onimportant financial issues.
And then the last point aroundfinancial literacy's impact.
We really have this economicempowerment.
Financial literacy equipsstudents with the knowledge and
skills to manage their ownpersonal finances effectively
and make informed financialdecisions, ultimately building
financial security.
And anytime I'm having aconversation with a young person
(09:03):
, they always say why aren't wetalking about financial literacy
in the classroom?
This seems like a missedopportunity, and so what I love
about really being a part of anorganization that talks about
civic engagement, it really isadvocating and understanding
those financial concepts andsystems that are really
essential for informed civicengagement.
And so when we think aboutstudents who actually have
(09:23):
financial literacy and thatdeeper understanding, they're
then able to go out in thecommunity and advocate for
stronger economic policies,advocate for policies that
promote financial fairness andreally ultimately make
responsible choices as consumersand investors, which, again,
the young people that those arethe roles that they're going to
be taking over very soon.
So, really, civics providesthat framework for understanding
(09:47):
how society and economicsystems function together.
Media literacy provides thetools to navigate all of the
information that's coming out ofmany different forms, that is
surrounding these systems, andthen financial literacy really
puts individuals to makeinformed and responsible
decisions related to thesesystems.
Liz (10:08):
I love that, especially financial literacy, like it
doesn't have to just be a siloedthing that teachers teach.
It can be a part of this biggerconversation and again, not
just things for students tomemorize, spit back on a test.
This is real life.
This is going to actuallyimpact them.
Yes, so one of the things thatyou and I kind of bonded over is
(10:29):
teacher support.
Right, because teachers areasked to engage with young
people, follow state standards.
How can we help teachersauthentically do this?
You know, not just read from ascript.
How does Generation Citizensupport teachers and how do you
engage with the community?
Allyson (10:48):
Absolutely.
We did an activity this weekwith our entire Generation
Citizen team that reallygrounded us to remind us the why
we do this work.
And so when I think aboutsupporting teachers and the work
I get to do with my team and mycolleagues every day,
supporting teachers is a part ofmy why, and so Generation
Citizen really recognizes thatteachers are such an impactful
(11:11):
part of the process when wethink about supporting young
people.
Oftentimes they're the onesthat know the students better
than us as parents.
Sometimes, right, they spendall of their time in the
classroom with our, with ouryoung people, and so I take that
as a great responsibility.
And so what does it mean toprovide support to these
teachers?
Really, I see it in two bucketsone providing professional
(11:32):
development and ongoing supportand resources, and then the
second bucket really isfostering a supportive school
culture.
And so at Generation Citizen,we do this by offering
professional development andtraining workshops on a myriad
of things related to civics,education, gaps in their
community that they care about,and so we do this by really
(12:02):
providing teachers withessential spaces to have those
conversations.
We provide not justprofessional development and
training workshops, but we alsoprovide coaching opportunities
for teachers where we canactually have a Generation
Citizen staff member come to aschool, have a virtual coaching
session where we dive deep intowhat are the effective
strategies for incorporatingstudent voice and choice.
(12:24):
We also provide access to highquality curriculum materials and
supplemental resources thatreally do align with standards
at a state level but also allowroom for flexibility and
student-centered adaptations.
As a former classroom teacher,one of the things that was
really important to me wasmaking sure that I had some
autonomy in taking content andlesson plans and making them
(12:47):
work, providing adaptations thatwork for my teaching style and
facilitation style, but also toreally incorporate what mattered
most to my students being thatwe all have different needs.
And the last element related tosupport for teachers that I'll
talk about is really creatingopportunities for teachers to
collaborate and share bestpractices with each other.
(13:08):
Right now, what's reallyimportant is a community, for so
many different reasons, andwhen we talk with teachers,
they're often saying I want tolearn from more generation
citizen teachers, and so we areactively working in states to
bring teachers together fortheir program-launched teacher
training, where they're able tohear about what does it mean to
be a generation citizen teacherand share those best practices,
(13:30):
and all of this does lead toreally fostering a supportive
school culture.
So we do, from a practical lensand a partnership lens, focus on
what does it mean to encouragea school-wide culture that
values student voice, respectsdiversity and promotes a sense
of belonging for all students.
Again, I mentioned theopportunity for teachers to
adapt the lesson plans to meetthe needs of students, not just
(13:53):
from their interests but alsofrom an instructional level, but
then offering that ongoingsupport and mentorship, where we
do include opportunities forpeer observation and feedback.
And so Generation Citizenreally values being entrenched
in the communities that we serve.
And so we're often thinkingabout what does it mean to be a
part of a school culture thatalready exists and how do we
strengthen this, this notion ofelevating and valuing student
(14:16):
voice and choice?
Liz (14:21):
so there's so many nuggets in there.
I love because I asked aboutauthentic teaching and I think
that one of the biggest waysthat you allow somebody to be
authentically themselves isproviding them a framework, but
letting them look at theirclassroom, look at their
learners and say how can I adaptthis to best serve the needs of
my students?
And that, to me, is authenticteaching.
(14:42):
And I I'm over like I'm justbursting that you said that and
I also love the coaching.
Right, it's not just drive by PD, it's not just hey, here's an
hour, it is, we're going to bethere, we're going to help you
and, kind of, you know, makesure that if you have questions,
because I think a lot of timesI mean, you know we're both
(15:09):
former classroom teachersSometimes you have these amazing
lesson plans and then inpractice you're like, well, that
didn't work, but havingsomebody to talk to about it and
really work through that issuch a powerful thing for
teachers in their classroomsthat I think sometimes PD isn't
always able to do.
And that's one of the things Ilove about Generation Citizen is
it is a bigger model than justsit for an hour, get what you
(15:30):
need and we'll see you later.
Allyson (15:33):
Yes, you hit it nail on the head with all of that.
Liz (15:35):
Okay, so we talk about authentic teaching and whatever
else, but you talked a lot aboutengaging with the community.
What does it mean toeffectively engage with
community?
Allyson (15:46):
Such a great question, and I often think that's what
differentiates GenerationCitizens civic education model
from some other organizations isbecause we're not going to let
go of the community.
We do have a local, place-basedmodel, even though we are a
national organization, but we dorely on the relationships and
the stakeholders within thecommunity to support the
(16:09):
implementation of our civicscurriculum.
And so we have studentsbuilding relationships with
community organizations andleaders to really identify the
local issues and opportunitiesfor collaboration.
So when students are engagingwith the curriculum, teachers
are really the ones stewardingand creating the safe space for
students to kind of say this isan issue in our community.
We want to build consensus onaddressing these issues, and it
(16:32):
doesn't just stop there.
Students are actually encouragedto go outside of their school
walls, whether it's emails,whether it's letters, whether
it's phone calls to talk tolocal vendors, elected officials
what have you, depending onwhat the focus is of their
project or their issue.
And so when we think aboutproject-based learning, it's
this opportunity to have anexperiential, hands-on
(16:53):
experience, but also takestudents to engage deeply in
their community and talk topeople.
We also invite communitymembers into the classroom to
share their expertise and theirexperiences with students, and
so those are the opportunitieswhere we're bringing those
outside the school communitywalls, folks that actually may
(17:15):
have decision making power onwhat happens in a particular
community.
And so what's unique about thisexperience for young people is
they often don't have thoseoutlets or channels to make
those direct conversations orthose touch points, but by the
Generation Citizen team andtheir teacher, we're supporting
them and having thoseconnections and then letting
students do the talking, not theadults, and this really does
(17:37):
provide that opportunity forstudents to engage in authentic
civic action projects thatreally address real world issues
in their community.
We actually had a conversationfor an impact webinar yesterday
with a student who was talkingabout just those things the
opportunity to say I didn't havethe opportunity to talk to
someone in the community beforeGeneration Citizen, and so it
(17:58):
really is about not just what'shappening in a school community
but the larger local communityand how to make those
connections, which I think canbe challenging when you don't
have a mechanism or a vehiclethat can support you in that
process, which again is why Ithink the coaching element of
our teacher support model is key, because we're asking teachers
(18:18):
to do more, but how do we alsosupport them in doing that, and
so it's really powerful to see,at our local civics days that
happen a few times a year, it'sreally powerful to see students
having the microphone andtalking to the adults, but then
the adults also asking questionslike well, how can I support
you after today?
What does the support tomorrowlook like?
And really take their projectsto the next level, beyond just
(18:42):
the four walls of a classroom,beyond just the curriculum
lessons as they stand.
So it really makes thecommunity experience real for
young people, where they do taketheir projects outside of the
community and have furtherconversations to really ensure
that they're closing the gaps intheir community.
Liz (18:58):
And that circles back to what we talked about at the
beginning, like these areworkplace skills.
Yes, right, they can developprojects, and I think that
students are often afraid totalk to elected officials or
like to reach out, and it isalways been amazing to me that
they're nervous because I'm likeanytime I've reached out to an
elected official, a policeofficer, fire, like anybody in
(19:20):
the community, they're stoked totalk to students.
They want youth to haveinvolvement in their community.
Allyson (19:28):
Yes, absolutely.
I do often reflect on the factthat young people I think a
young person said to me recentlythat sometimes they're not
listened to and why is thatRight?
And I think there's there's avariety of different reasons as
to why young people sometimesaren't listened to and why is
that right?
And I think there's a varietyof different reasons as to why
young people sometimes aren'tlistened to.
But I think when we create theopen channels of communication
(19:52):
and young people know that theyhave the support of another
adult, it does give them theopportunity to stand in their
power right, which I think nowmore than ever is critical to
stand in their power right,which I think now more than ever
is critical.
We're experiencing a lot ofdifferent opinions, a lot of
frustration, and what we neednow, in these times, is
community.
And so how do we I think, a lotabout what we have conversations
(20:15):
around internally, atGeneration Citizen as well how
do we create that safe space?
And that's what civics days are.
Those are the moments wherewe're bringing students together
from all of our communityschool relationship partners and
we're giving young people theopportunity to showcase their
research projects, their focusissues, their solutions to real
world issues and the adults arejust listening or saying, like I
(20:38):
mentioned, how can I take thisto the next level for you?
How can I help you?
What does support look like foryou after today?
And so you're right, adultswant to listen.
But I really think whatGeneration Citizen can support
schools and support communitiesin doing is creating that
vehicle, which sometimes iswhere we just missed the mark.
We're all busy, we're alltrying to do the next best thing
(21:00):
, and so Generation Citizentries to meet schools and
communities where they're at andsay we can help you and provide
those vehicles where we'reelevating young people's voices
and adults are here to listenand respond to the call to
action.
Liz (21:14):
So can I ask why I think students sometimes think like
well, I'm not really a citizenuntil I can vote right Until I'm
18 years old, so why doanything before that?
What would your response tothat be?
Allyson (21:28):
Such a common, I want to say maybe a misconception.
But I think there are twothings that I think about.
One we always associate thatcivic engagement means voting.
That's one aspect of beingcivically engaged.
Civic engagement means being apart of your community, and
young people are often the oneswho are yielding solutions.
(21:51):
They have ideas.
I think as adults, we are busy,busy, busy, but young people are
the ones who are there at thepark, they're at the local
grocery store or bodega,providing an opportunity to have
a connection.
And so what does it mean?
To actively engage in yourcommunity and be civically
engaged is an opportunity foryoung people to say what they
(22:12):
want change to look like.
And I think that's themisconception too comes back to
adults.
How do we talk to adults?
And I think there's a lot ofpressure on young people to show
up and be politically corrector have all the right answers,
and, honestly, no one has theright answers.
We have a bunch of differentanswers, and so how do we build
consensus Right?
(22:33):
Thinking back to those 21stcentury skills and being ready
for the workplace is how do youbuild a team and a community
that can build consensus on?
Here's a challenge, here's asolution community that can
build consensus on.
Here's a challenge, here's asolution, and young people are
doing that.
They have those ideas, and so Ithink, for young people who say
, why should I get engaged?
You already have the answersthat we're looking for.
Liz (22:52):
We want to hear from you, so, yeah, I, I just I think that
youth don't Liz how powerfulthey are because, you're right,
adults are busy.
Adults also get kind of set intheir ways, right, like this is
the way we've done it, and theydon't sometimes have this fresh
perspective or the ability tokind of ideate right, and just
(23:14):
have conversations be like whatabout this, what about this?
And I love that you pointed outwe don't always need to have
the perfect answer.
We don't always need to bepolitically correct, right,
especially as youth.
It reminds me of the Ted Lassobe curious, not judgmental.
Like what do you mean by that?
Let's work through this and,and you're right, in challenging
(23:36):
times, community is the answer.
Allyson (23:39):
Absolutely, Absolutely.
I love it too.
I, I, I again.
You know we had a momentearlier this week as a team
where we reflected on our why,and we may not have the same
answer or the perfect answer forchallenges, but we all are
connected by this one missionfor one organization do need to
(24:00):
lead with curiosity at theforefront, and so I'm often
having those own reflections asan adult and thinking.
I often too reflect on like whatwas my experience as a young
person with civics, education,with community, and sometimes it
was a hit or miss.
But I do think my experiencesas a classroom teacher always
remind me that there are so manydiverse perspectives out there.
(24:22):
I'd be doing myself adisservice if I didn't create
opportunities to just hear whatthose other perspectives are and
were, at the time, Right, andso I never forget my classroom
teaching experience.
I am constantly trying to findopportunities to really ensure
that I as an individual, I'mlistening to young people but
also fostering safe spaces foryoung people to share, and I
(24:45):
think Generation Citizen justwants to continue as an
organization connecting withcommunities, hearing what
matters to them and figuring outopportunities for solutions in
real time.
Liz (24:57):
I love that.
I'm going to throw one morequestion at you, because we are
talking about civics.
Who is your favorite historicalfigure or civic, you know,
civic minded figure?
I don't want it to be just oh,somebody we learned about in
history class, like there aretons of people who had great
civic minds and who did so muchfor their communities.
Do you have a favorite?
Allyson (25:25):
Man.
I mean that is such a greatquestion me, of course, thinks
back to so many predominantlyrevered public figures who have
made a trailblazing mark inhistory, and I also think about
the folks that did that for mein a very intimate way.
Intimate way, and I'm going tosay my aunt Sarah she's no
(25:53):
longer with us, but she was sucha civically engaged adult I
would imagine, young person aswell who modeled for me what
does it mean to be civicallyengaged beyond just voting?
She was someone who was oftenbringing me to her own classroom
in Jamaica Queens, taking me onfield trips to museums and
reminding me that the world isyour oyster.
You know whether that's amuseum in your backyard, what
(26:16):
have you?
But she modeled what does itmean to be civically engaged?
By being there for her students, by being there for community,
showing up when someone needed ameal and didn't have a home or
a working fridge what have you?
And that to me is a definitionof community.
And so she modeled for me whatdoes it mean to be actively
engaged, not to be a citizen inwaiting?
And I always wonder what wouldshe say about the world today
(26:41):
and what I'm doing?
So sure, there are those publicfamous figures but I often
think about who had that reallyclose-knit impact on me, and it
was definitely my aunt Sarah.
Liz (26:52):
That is, I think, the perfect way to end this.
That is students.
It can just be the person nextdoor, it could be a relative,
and, yes, there are tons of menand women who helped build this
country, who helped get us towhere we are now, but sometimes
it is the community, it is thepeople who are nearest and
dearest to us, who make thebiggest impact.
(27:13):
So, alison, thank you so muchfor this conversation, for all
the conversations we've had.
I always leave ourconversations just feeling a
renewed sense of hope that thereare ways forward.
Right, we're in a challengingtime.
We face challenging timesbefore.
We will continue to facechallenging times.
(27:34):
I think that that's just lifein this experiment of democracy.
But places like GenerationCitizen allow teachers and
students a pathway, and I thinkthat that is so important.
So, thank you so much.
Allyson (27:49):
No, Liz, thank you, the feeling is mutual.
I feel ready to tackle whateveris next on the to-do list,
whatever is next for democracy,and thank you for creating a
space for me to openly shareabout what energizes me and
makes me feel, like you said,hopeful about what's to come.
Thank you so much, Liz.
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