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SUMMER 2026 COHORT
​The National Youth Civic Challenge Summer 2026 Cohort brings together undergraduate students, graduate students, law students, and emerging leaders from across the country to help shape the future of civic learning, youth leadership, and community impact.
Board members serve as stakeholders in a growing national organization, contributing ideas, partnerships, programs, and strategies that will help guide the future direction of Youth Civic Challenge.​​
Program Overview
DATE : July 20th to August 14th
PROGRAM LENGTH : 4 Week Session
WEEKLY COMMITMENT : 4-8 Hours/week
FORMAT : Virtual/Hybrid.Participants may join from anywhere in the United States.
ELIGIBLITY : Applicants should be undergraduate students, graduate students, law students or recen graduates.
Students from all majors and academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Help Build The Future Of Civic Learning
Youth Civic Challenge (YC²) is launching its inaugural National Youth Civic Challenge Summer 2026 Planning Cohort, bringing together undergraduate students, graduate students, law students, and emerging leaders from across the country to help shape the future of civic learning, youth leadership, and community impact.
The Summer 2026 Planning Cohort is designed to provide students with a unique opportunity to serve as stakeholders in a growing national organization while gaining experience in leadership, strategic planning, organizational development, partnership building, communications, and civic innovation.
At Youth Civic Challenge, we believe students are not future civic leaders preparing to participate someday.
They are current contributors capable of creating meaningful public value today.
The National Youth Civic Challenge Summer 2026 Planning Cohort exists to put that belief into practice. As members of the Founding Cohort, students will help guide organizational growth, contribute to major initiatives, and ensure that youth voices remain central to the future direction of YC².
The Why & The Need
Most students spend years preparing for leadership opportunities before they are invited into decision-making spaces.
The National Youth Civic Challenge Summer 2026 Planning Cohort offers students the opportunity to participate in those spaces now.
Members serve as stakeholders in YC²’s growth and future direction, contributing ideas, feedback, and recommendations related to programs, partnerships, strategy, communications, and the National Civics Competition.
This experience provides valuable exposure to nonprofit leadership, organizational governance, strategic planning, and collaborative decision-making while allowing students to help shape a national initiative from the ground up.
Committee Structure
The Summer 2026 Planning Cohort is designed to be collaborative, hands-on, and student-driven.
Each participant will serve on one primary committee aligned with their interests, skills, and academic background. Committees will give students the chance to work closely with peers from across the country on meaningful projects that support Youth Civic Challenge’s growth and future direction.
Committee members will meet regularly throughout the four-week cohort under the guidance of a Committee Chair and YC² leadership. While each committee focuses on a specific area of work, all committees collaborate to share ideas, provide feedback, and contribute to larger organizational goals.
THE FOUR COMMITTEES
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University Partnerships & Campus Engagement
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Communications & Storytelling
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Competition & Program Development
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Technology, Innovation & Digital Strategy
WHAT WILL YOU GAIN?
NATIONAL LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
Participate in strategic discussions and contribute to the growth of a national civic learning organization.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Develop skills in:
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Leadership
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Project management
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Strategic planning
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Communications
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Collaboration
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Problem-solving
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Public engagement
RESUME & GRADUATE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE
Board service demonstrates initiative, leadership, stakeholder engagement, and meaningful organizational experience.
MENTORSHIP
Work directly with YC² founders and organizational leaders.
NATIONAL NETWORK
Connect with students, faculty, nonprofit leaders, educators, and civic innovators from across the country.
REAL IMPACT
Contribute ideas and recommendations that directly influence YC² programs, partnerships, and future growth.
New Projects
University Credit & Stipend Opportunities
YC² recognizes that universities support experiential learning in different ways. Students are encouraged to explore opportunities through their institutions, including:
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Independent study credit
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Internship credit
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Experiential learning credit
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Civic engagement programs
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Public service fellowships
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Leadership stipends
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Summer fellowship funding
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Work-study opportunities
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Community engagement grants
YC² can provide:
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Program descriptions
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Learning objectives
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Project outlines
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Leadership responsibilities
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Participation verification
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Supervision documentation
to assist students working with faculty advisors, career centers, fellowship offices, civic engagement centers, and academic departments.
Because the Planning Cohort is interdisciplinary in nature, students from a wide range of academic disciplines may be able to connect participation to existing
university-supported opportunities.
Looking Beyond Summer
The Summer 2026 Planning Cohort represents the inaugural group of student leaders helping shape the future of Youth Civic Challenge.
Throughout the four-week experience, participants will collaborate on strategic initiatives, contribute to organizational planning, and help guide the development of YC²’s programs, partnerships, and national initiatives.
Following the Planning Cohort, select participants may be invited to continue in expanded leadership roles, including:
YC² National Youth Advisory Board Member
University Ambassadors
National Competition Mentors
YC² Program Mentors
Program Development Teams
Special Projects & Innovation Teams
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