News

The Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI) will host its annual National Mock Election from October 18-29, 2021 featuring gubernatorial races for Virginia and New Jersey. In addition to these two exciting races, YLI is offering students in all schools across the U.S. the opportunity to weigh in on a series of questions pertaining to voting in […]

This fall the University of Virginia Center for Politics and the Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI) have produced resources to help inspire students to evaluate the health of democracy in their communities. Using documentaries created by the Center, YLI developed the lesson plan, Civic Engagement: Building a Healthy Democracy, which guides students through the viewing of […]

YLI is excited to inform you about a unique opportunity for your students. The a href=”https://www.civicsunplugged.org/” target =”pop”> Civics Unplugged Fellowship Program is a completely free virtual opportunity for high school students to engage with other civic-minded young leaders and explore the future of American democracy. Over the course of six months, the Fellows will […]

In anticipation of the upcoming 2020 General Election, voting in the 2020 Youth Leadership Initiative National Mock Election has officially begun and will continue through October 23. YLI has partnered this year with Win My Vote and America’s Mock Election to host the National Student Mock Election. With the help of YLI lesson plans, students […]

The Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI) is proud to be working with Apple TV and A24 Entertainment to provide our educators a relaxing time of entertainment and thought provoking discussion about civic engagement. On September 22, 2020, at 7 p.m. EDT, YLI educators will join together online to view Apple TV’s film, Boys State, a documentary […]

The Youth Leadership Initiative at the University of Virginia Center for Politics has organized as a part of its Democracy Corps program the YLI Week of Civics and Service. This national event which will take place April 1-7 provides an opportunity for students and their families to lift up their communities. Even though students in […]

If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. The team at YLI has been squeezing a lot of lemons as of late. The arrival of COVID-19 and the closure of schools across the nation has meant the need for quick thinking and improvisation on the part of both the University of Virginia Center for Politics and […]

The Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI) opened the 19th session of its National E-Congress simulation program on Tuesday, January 7. As in previous years teachers can register their students to participate in a nation-wide activity designed to DISCOURSE, DEBATE and COMPROMISE on legislation that they themselves have researched, written and sent to the be voted on […]

The Youth Leadership Initiative(YLI) and American Evolution announce the results of the 2019 National Jamestown: American Legacy Student Survey! After two weeks of open polls, YLI is proud to announce that thousands of students from across the country have made their opinions known! Each year, YLI conducts the largest, secure student-only, online mock election in […]

America’s Mock Election(AME) has been working to promote YLI’s Mock Election program since 2016. AME has produced several mock election results programs as well as a Hundred Days Report that teachers have used in their classrooms. For the past year YLI, ConSource and AME have worked together to create the American Civic Education app in […]