As America celebrates 250 years, many are looking back on our nation’s history. But Heather Walker shines the 7Spotlight on a group of young people who are looking forward, working to shape the country’s future.
At a civics summit at Miami Dade College, a young voice commands the attention of the room.
Clint John: “That day changed the trajectory of my life.”
But this isn’t a college student or local politician captivating the audience while he introduces Miami Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.
It’s 15-year-old Clint John, a high school freshman.
The son of a Jamaican immigrant, Clint says he heard a lot about the promise of the American dream growing up.
Clint John: “I wanted figure out whether the American dream was something that you just talk about, or is it something that you can live.”
He decided to get involved, interning with the City of Miami Gardens at just 11 years old.
Now he leads the nonprofit Virtutem Populo, which is Latin for “power to the people.”
The group’s goal is to get students interested in participating in democracy — not just studying it in the classroom.
Clint John: “If we prepare civic leaders at 14, we’ll have executives, nonprofit executives, presidents, Supreme Court justices at 40, who know what they’re doing and who know what it means to be left out of the system.”
And while most of the members aren’t old enough to vote or even drive yet, they’re not waiting to make their voices heard.
Clint John: “Government was never designed to work without you. It was designed for you to engineer it, it was designed for you to get in the driver’s seat and drive the car.”
The group holds events to teach kids about the constitution, civics and community engagement.
They also have a “Mayor for a Day” program – which 19 municipalities currently participate in – as well as an economic fellowship, where students learn about government and the business community.
Clint John: “U.S. Congress, our city council, our state legislature, our U.S. legislature, every single issue that goes before them affects us.”
The group is also pushing to get seats at the table in areas that matter to them most right now – the classroom, working to get a student advisor on every school board across the state.
Clint John: “Five out of 67 counties in the State of Florida have a student advisor for the school board. In South Florida, those counties include Miami-Dade and Broward County. They are in the schools every single day. They know what students want.”
Clint says the goal is to instill the importance of being involved in democracy on his generation and future generations so they’re equipped to shape America’s next 250 years.
Clint John: “I see America at 500, where democracy and participation is for everyone, young or old. We are the future and we gotta build the future.”
Heather Walker, 7News.
The group also asks adults to serve as mentors, sponsors, or volunteers.
To learn more about Virtutem Populo and how you could volunteer, click here.
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