Our Future, Our Voice

Hello everyone! During the summer I was given the opportunity to be the Youth Bughouse Mayor! Basically, I was the coordinator of this year's youth Bughouse Square  Debates. I made a schedule and talked along with the adults to make the debates as amazing as we could. I also introduced our youth speakers (along with Vince Gerasol) and handed out the dill pickle awards to the youth and special oldies guests including Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Executive Director Edie Canter. I also wrote and performed a poem about immigration policy and won the firestick award (given to the most passionate speaker!)

I learned a lot from this experience including how to be a better leader, being able to talk better and more fully with adults, and making a functioning schedule that can change and be flexible due to little mishaps! I feel like I truly made a difference by doing this event as a lot of people actually came to listen to us and photograph us. Besides helping the youth of Chicago have a voice I also helped GCE become more known by people and organizations! 

I would gladly and enthusiastically do this or something like this again in the future, I love this type of volunteer work! Where I can spend time organizing events and coordinating them! And I plan to share what I do to with friends, family, and people who come to open houses!

All pictures credit to Hiu To, taken July 28, 2018:

2018 Youth Soapbox Debate from GCE Lab School on Vimeo.