Kids Voting Mecklenburg County Information Session December 11, 2006.
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Transcript of Kids Voting Mecklenburg County Information Session December 11, 2006.
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
– 704-329-9137 (office); 704-560-4648 (cell)
• Amy Farrell, Executive Director
– 704-343-6999
– Kids Voting office
• 700 East Stonewall Street, Suite 710
• Charlotte NC, 28202