Key Points:

• The Civic Learning Showcase brought together young leaders, educators, and community members to celebrate youth-driven civic learning in Pittsburgh.
• The event launched a youth-led mapping initiative to identify where civic learning happens across the region.
• New connections, collaborations, and bold ideas emerged, setting the stage for Moonshot Grants to catalyze the next wave of civic innovation.

I. Civics as a Feeling, Not Just a Subject

“What if civics wasn’t just something you learn in a textbook? What if it was a feeling, something every young person grows up knowing they belong to?”

This challenge was laid out at the start of the evening: Civics isn’t just government and policy, it’s relationships and agency. It starts with every young person feeling seen, valued, and supported, and grows into a network of opportunities where they can shape their communities, their city, and their future.

This was the vision behind the Showcase:

• Foster connections between young leaders, educators, and community organizations.
• Celebrate the incredible youth-centered work already happening in the region.
• Start mapping where civic learning thrives and where more is needed.
• Reimagine narratives about what civics is and who gets to lead it.
• Have fun!

II. The Power of Gathering: Where Civics Comes to Life

The Showcase was held at the Heinz History Center to kick off Civic Learning Week. Young leaders took the mic, educators and community members leaned in, and together, we celebrated and fortified the vibrant learning ecosystem that’s nurturing young people into civic readiness in Pittsburgh.

One student sensed the power of the specific place:

“It’s pretty instrumental to come together in a historic place, where we can learn from the past, to imagine the future.”

People often say that phones are distracting, but in that room, no one touched their device other than to capture the magic. Instead, we were listening, speaking, and making meaningful connections. We got to feel the energy of participation, through a community of shared intent, civic imagination and creative problem solving.

III. Youth Leaders Took Center Stage

Three young leaders, Manny, Cameron, and Trevon, stepped up as first-time MCs, bringing energy, humor, and confidence. The event also featured presentations from organizations creating opportunities with and for young people, including:

• Assemble
• Youth Enrichment Services (YES)
• GirlGov
• LIGHT Education Initiative and Carlynton School District
• Homewood Children’s Village
• Consortium for Public Education
• Heinz History Center
• Upper St. Clair High School
• Carnegie Mellon University – Entertainment Technology Center

These presenters painted a picture of what’s possible when civic learning is integrated into real-world experiences. One attendee summed up the impact:

“Seeing everything going on in our community…it’s so inspiring and heartwarming to see all the good in the world that is so often overlooked.”

IV. Mapping the Civic Learning Landscape

The Showcase was also a launchpad for a youth-led mapping initiative of spaces that nurture civic growth. One attendee put it bluntly:

“Right now, it’s a roll of the dice whether a young person finds these opportunities. It shouldn’t be. We can make this ecosystem visible, connected, and accessible for all.”

This initiative will chart where civic learning is already thriving and where more opportunities are needed.

Add your organization to the Civic Learning Map.

V. From Ideas to Action: Moonshot Grants

The event wasn’t just about what’s happening now, but also about what’s possible.

Moonshot Grants are designed to fuel bold new ideas. These grants provide funding for ideas that push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Join us for an Info Session on March 17th from 1-2 PM to learn more. The LOI deadline is March 31st.

VI. Rewriting the Narrative of Civic Learning

To close out the event, attendees were challenged to reimagine the stories we tell about civics and young people.

Too often, the narrative is negative: Young people are disengaged. They don’t care. They’re disconnected.

This room told a different story.

• Young people are leaders.
• They are builders of community.
• They are hungry for opportunities to contribute.
• They are already shaping the future; they just need support to do it.

Together, we claimed a new story, one where civic learning is vibrant, visible, and youth-powered.

VII. What’s Next? Join Us in Building the Future

The Showcase was just the beginning. This year, the Civic Learning Ecosystem working group is making civic learning visible and expanding opportunities.

Want to be part of this work? Reach out to Tess Benoit to explore ways to get involved.

Authored by:

Tess Benoit

Tess Benoit is the Lead for Products and Partnerships with the History Co:Lab. In this role, she focuses on community engagement, collaborative partnerships, and establishing and scaling ecosystems for connected learning in support of a more vibrant democracy.

Tess co-leads the Civic Learning Ecosystem, powered by Remake Learning.