Kids Voting Mecklenburg County

Information SessionDecember 11, 2006

Overview

• Nonprofit, nonpartisan (501c3)

• National organization: Kids Voting USA

• Based in Tempe, AZ - moving HQ to Washington in 2007

• Affiliates in 26 states

• KV Mecklenburg one of largest successful programs– KVUSA growth strategy 2006-2016

What does Kids Voting do?

• Educates K-12 students about– Citizenship– Civic Involvement– Election Process

• Through– Classroom Lessons– Community Civic Activities– Interaction with Public Officials– Authentic Election Experiences

Mecklenburg County Impact

• Available to all K-12 students

• 200 Schools

• Approx. 6,000 classrooms and teachers

• 2,500 volunteers

• Parents, PTAs, Public Officials

• Over 27,000 voters in Election 2006

• Kids Voting has invested $1.5 Million in local civic education since 1992

History: 1992-1996

• National organization

• Rolfe Neill (Former Observer publisher)

– Brought KV to Charlotte and NC in 1992

• Knight Foundation, others = seed funding

• 1996: Raleigh and Greensboro

– Kids Voting of North Carolina formed in 1997 to

manage expansion

History: 1997-2000

• Election programs, curriculum, teacher training and

various events

• 1999 - Amy Farrell joins Kids Voting to direct

development and community relations

– Funding sources diversified and expanded

• KV experiences internal challenges with financial

management and planning

• Amy Farrell hired as ED in 2001

History: 2001-2006

• Complete reorganization

• Board and program review and strengthening

– Expanding and adding programs directly related to core mission; cut others

– Reorganization of BOD; expanding in 2007

– Increasing and strengthening partnerships

• Raising profile within community

• Prelim. strategic planning with Anne Udall

– Lee Institute/Daughter of Senator Mo Udall

• Participate in Building Better Boards Phase I

• Establishing cash reserve

Kids Voting: Governance

• Currently 10 members

• Expanding to 18-21 members by 2008

• Leadership– Interim Chair - Mack Gadsden

– Vice Chair, Finance/Operations - Lillian McRae

– Vice Chair, Governance - Doug Benson• Position open effective 1/1/2007

– Vice Chair, Programs/Outreach - Corby Anderson

– Each vice chair leads a committee

Kids Voting: Governance

• Committee Structure– Finance & Operations

• Finance and Business Operations• Oversee Resource Development

– Governance• Nominating• Board Development• Legal

– Programs• Classroom and Community Education & Election• Special Events/Outreach• Youth Engagement

Kids Voting: Finance & Operations

• 2006 Budget = $130,000

• Approximately $1 per student

• Funding sources– Government– Foundation– Corporate– Individual– Inkind

• 90%+ allocated to programs

Kids Voting: Programs & Outreach

• In the Classroom– Classroom lessons provided to 6,000 teachers in K-12

• National curriculum: Classroom Activities• Alignment to NC Standard Course of Study in K-8 math, language arts and

social studies, World History, Civics & Economics and US History• Local teacher’s guide• Variety of civic education materials

– Kids Voting School Representatives• Leadership role designated by principal• Attend teacher training and receive credit for work• Coordinate Kids Voting at their schools

– School partnerships and relationships • Continual evaluation, assessment and strengthening

Kids Voting: Programs & Outreach

• In the Community– Ongoing civic activities for students including

• Mecklenburg Youth Voice– Special initiative of KV - high school students meet regularly to

discuss student issues; meets bimonthly with Dr. Peter Gorman

• Youth Civics 101– Partnership with League of Women Voters– Teens visit and learn about government

– Organization of youth events• Candidate Forum for Youth

• Youth Forum with CMS Task Force and visit to Superintendent Forum

• Visits to government meetings

Kids Voting: Programs & Outreach

• In the Community (continued)– Interaction with Public Officials

• Coordinate school visits with officials

• Visits to Government Center, courthouse, Observer, etc.

– Partnerships and Collaborations

– Community Outreach and Media Relations• Local newspapers

• Interviewed on Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins, The John Hancock Show and others; WBT Hometown Hero

• State and national recognition

Kids Voting: Programs & Outreach

• Experiencing Elections– NC legislation allows KV to operate where adults vote– Students experience elections and vote on Kids Voting ballots - same races as

adult voters plus student questions– Available to all students - variety of options

• Online Voting - Accenture - National Partner in e-voting• Early Voting in libraries - Future partnership with library?

• Voting in Election Day Precincts• Voting “absentee” at school• Service-learning - approx. 2,000 student poll volunteers

– 27,000+ student voters in Election 2006– 40,000+ in Election 2004– Over 250,000 since 1992

Kids Voting: Challenges

• Adult voter and civic apathy

• Regional economy

• Changing school strategies and populations

• Growth

• Competition with other programs

• Technology

• Raising $ and awareness for an educational program vs.

a charity

Kids Voting: Goals

• Excite kids about voting and civics

• Create regional opportunities

• Address changing school strategies and populations

• Expand programs and service area

• Identify and strengthen key strategic partnerships & alliances

• Use technology to enhance KV’s programs, efficiency and

effectiveness

• Develop resources and raise awareness needed to fulfill Kids

Voting’s mission

Contact Kids Voting

• Mack Gadsden, Chair

– MAGadsden@uspis.gov

– 704-329-9137 (office); 704-560-4648 (cell)

• Amy Farrell, Executive Director

– amy@kidsvoting.org

– 704-343-6999

– Kids Voting office

• 700 East Stonewall Street, Suite 710

• Charlotte NC, 28202