Youth Action Team
*
Youth Action Team *
Honesty’s Youth Action Team brings high school students from across the state together to discuss and make change on issues that are impacting them. Once a month, these student leaders connect virtually to learn about how their schools are governed, how they can have an impact on their education and the action steps that they can take. They share information about what they are seeing in their schools with the Honesty team, and influence our organizing direction. In addition, the leadership of these students is invested in through one-on-one mentorship with the Youth Action Team Coordinator and workshops on organizing strategy and skills. Students are encouraged to attend school board meetings, submit legislative testimony, conduct meetings and listening sessions with their peers, take action on the issues they care about, and more. A primary goal of the Youth Action Team is to provide high school students with the support and tools they need to use their voice to protect their education. In doing so, the students are given an introduction to organizing and political action while they are in high school, that they can take to college and beyond as they continue to be changemakers.
Currently, the Youth Action Team has general body meetings on the last Sunday of every month from 5-6pm. Beyond this, there are additional opportunities for students to be more involved through working groups. The newest of these is the Communications Working Group, where students will have the opportunity to make content for, and help facilitate the team social media accounts. This working group is great for students that are interested in social media management, marketing, and content creation. Students are also able to participate in the Legislative Working Group. This group was created last spring and was particularly focused on fighting SB1. This working group provides students with the opportunity to meet with legislators and other elected officials, and learn how to testify on legislation. To join the Youth Action Team fill out this form.
Our Impact
Youth Action Team members submitted both written and oral testimony before both the House and Senate Higher Education Committees 5 times.
Held more than 12 lobbying meetings and 4 virtual advocacy days with members of both the House and Senate Education Committees, including officials such as the Republican whips in both chambers, plus the governor’s policy team and regional liaisons.
Featured in 2 state-wide Ohio Capital Journal articles that received 3.5K+ cumulative comments.
A student was featured in the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus’s SB1 press conference, as the first high school student to do so.
Collaborated with the Ohio Student Association to organize the SB1 March to the Statehouse on March 14th, which garnered participation from 1,200+ students across the state. The team also individually mobilized 50+ high school students to participate in the action.
Advised House Education Committee member Rep. Joe Miller (D-53) on the introduction of HB165, a bill to add implicit bias training to the licensure requirements for K-12 teachers. Also aided in curating sponsor and proponent testimony for the bill.
Provided guidance to members of the Education Committee regarding opposition to SB113, legislation that would ban DEI education in public schools.
Garnered 94 signatures from high school students across Ohio, spanning 28 school districts, on an open letter opposing SB113. This letter was sent to all members of the Education Committees of both chambers.