About Keynote

Democracy is a Verb: Engaging Students in Participatory Civic Education

Presented by Jill Bass, Chief Education Officer, Mikva Challenge

Mikva Challenge provides schools and school districts with strategies and tools to engage young people in high quality, student-centered, project-based learning about the democratic process. Founded in 1998, Mikva Challenge began as a small pilot program with an all-volunteer staff in four Chicago schools; now 23 years later, Mikva has grown to serve over 17 states, 3200 teachers, and more than 135k students annually. Over two decades, Mikva has developed an education model based on the principles that: 1) youth voice matters, and 2) youth are experts on the issues that affect them; and 3) our communities and schools are stronger when youth leaders are involved in all aspects of civic life.

Jill Bass, the Chief Education Officer at the Mikva Challenge taught in Chicago and New York City public schools for 13 years and was a Mikva teacher for much of that time. She has a Masters in Instructional Leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago and has been a professional developer, curriculum writer, educational consultant, and instructional coach. At Mikva, Jill is part of the national team, overseeing partner sites, curriculum development, and teacher professional learning.