During the 2020 Presidential Election, the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) surveyed young adults – 18-29 years old – about their civic behavior and likelihood to engage in civic leadership during this election cycle. In that same time frame, Mikva Challenge also surveyed our middle and high school youth participants – ages 12-19 years old – with the same questions asking about their current and/or future civic leadership. Student survey respondents came from Mikva Challenge’s work in schools through our Issues to Action and Project Soapbox programs, and from our direct youth programming with young people in DC and Chicago. 

The results illustrated the impact of Mikva Action Civics programming – even on young people before they reached voting age!

Here are the results side by side of the two Surveys followed by some analysis from CIRCLE’s Director:

Respondents report they will encourage friends or family to vote

  • 68% of CIRCLE survey respondents said they had tried, or would try, to convince others to vote
  • 92% of Mikva respondents said they were quite likely or absolutely going to encourage family and friends to vote

Respondents report they will volunteer for a political party

  • 45% of CIRCLE survey respondents said they had or would volunteer for a political party
  • 54% of Mikva respondents said they were quite likely or absolutely going to volunteer for a political party

Respondents report they will participate in political activities such as protests, marches, or demonstrations:

  • 60% of CIRCLE survey respondents said they had or would attend a march of demonstration
  • 72% of Mikva respondents said they were quite likely or absolutely going to participating in protests, marches or demonstrations 

According to CIRCLE Director, Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg,

“In an era of racial and economic inequality affecting especially schools’ civics curriculum, Mikva Challenge’s student findings demonstrate how important it is that students who are interested in real-world issues and politics around them are able to find an opportunity to learn about the way systems work, and more importantly, how to make it better by working with diverse stakeholders. Mikva students often live in communities of color and low-income communities where opportunities to find civic voice, learn about the systems and take appropriate civic action are scarce. Mikva seems to provide much needed opportunities to the students who are looking for such opportunities and results show that these students have voice and are poised to make positive change.”