Sophia Arnold might only be a high schooler, but she puts most public relations firms to shame.
Of course, it’s easier to promote something if you believe in it, especially when said thing has inherent moral value. And that speaks to Lexgen, the group for which Arnold volunteers. The nonpartisan organization was established by a high school junior, Abhi Desai, last April. Staffed entirely by high school student volunteers, Lexgen creates civics education curricula for teachers. The idea is to make civics lessons as fun as possible and as accessible to as many students as possible. Videos and innovative style form a critical part of Lexgen’s strategy.
Desai told me that he set up Lexgen because “civics education has been devalued in the modern education system, and us students could see that in a personal level. People didn’t know much about how the government impacts their lives, and a lack of civics education is the reason behind this.” And Desai insists that the coronavirus chaos is reemphasizing why civics are so important. “The lives of kids around the country are being impacted by the decisions of elected officials, and many are very confused about what is going on in the government and how that is impacting their lives. Civics education clears up all the questions kids have about the decisions of lawmakers during this pandemic.”
It’s a very good point.
But what makes Lexgen especially useful here is its priority focus on delivering materials valuable to elementary students. Those kids, after all, probably have the most questions and the least understanding about what’s going on at the moment. Perhaps Lexgen can give them confidence that their nation, for all its flaws, remains the world’s greatest democratic republic. If nothing else, Lexgen can give those students the tools to start thinking about where their future fits into the fabric of our short but storied history.
Although Desai and Arnold’s work, and that of their colleagues Ameena, Andrew, Angela, and Ethan, is relatively new, they’re finding significant success. They’ve already reached more than 5,000 students in Arizona, California, and Virginia. And their curriculum has recently earned new teacher supporters in Florida and Minnesota. Lexgen has big plans for the future. The group aims to be as efficient as possible and currently relies on community donations but plans to apply for grants in the near future. I hope they succeed.
Even if you’re not a teacher, it’s worth checking out Lexgen’s website. These students prove our future is in good hands.
