In times of uncertainty, young people need tools to make sense of the challenges around them and the skills to help shape their communities for the better. That’s the vision driving Generation Citizen (GC), a national nonprofit that equips students to learn democracy by doing democracy. Through community-based civics projects, students practice how to identify issues, build consensus, and take collective action on problems that matter in their lives.

With support from New Pluralists, Generation Citizen has expanded this work into rural schools, starting in Kentucky and Oklahoma, where financial barriers and geographic isolation often limit access to high-quality civic education. GC built trust with rural schools, adapted its curriculum to local contexts, and empowered students in communities facing economic hardship and climate disruptions to lead change.

It is a reminder that pluralism is not only about dialogue. It is about preparing the next generation to work together across differences to solve real problems.

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Caption iconPhoto Credit: Britney Davis

From Classrooms to Community Impact

In Floyd County, Kentucky, where a single road connects much of the community, severe ice storms and floods left schools closed for weeks at a time. Students fell behind academically, and teachers struggled to keep them engaged. Rather than letting disruption deepen disconnection, one teacher named Kyle worked with GC to turn the crisis into a learning opportunity.

Kyle’s students launched a civic action project focused on local road infrastructure, researching how they could work with county officials and tap federal funding to strengthen their community’s resilience. What began as frustration with missed school days and unsafe travel became a shared project where students learned to analyze problems, build partnerships, and advocate for solutions.

Similar stories have emerged in other rural classrooms. In Meeker, Oklahoma, students worked with their school district to install a playground fence that keeps children from running into the road after balls. Across the South, students are taking on projects tied directly to their lived experiences, turning disruption into action.

Resilient Schools, Empowered Students

These experiences show that even in communities hit hardest by environmental and financial instability, students can become leaders and bridge-builders when given the chance. Over the past two years, rural teachers and students across Kentucky, Oklahoma, and beyond have joined GC’s network, bringing energy and momentum to the state’s new Civic Seal initiative.

By helping students turn local challenges into opportunities for civic action, Generation Citizen is proving that rural youth are not just future leaders; they are already leading.

“Civic education is happening all around us. The question is: what kind? For too many young people, the lessons they absorb drive hopelessness. But when we give students the tools to act, they discover their own power to strengthen their communities.”
— Elizabeth Clay Roy, CEO of Generation Citizen