Students for Education (SFE), a Tennessee-based nonprofit dedicated to encouraging youth civic engagement, is expanding its national footprint as part of a broader effort to help soon-to-be voters advocate for their own education and influence public policy.¶
According to a news release emailed to Tennessee Firefly, the nonprofit, which was founded in 2021, now has state coordinators across nine states including Tennessee, Alabama, Washington, Minnesota, Nevada, Texas, Massachusetts, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C., where the nonprofit hopes to “mobilize a network of civically engaged young people.” The announcement said state coordinators will lead chapter heads in advising students on engagement, legislative advocacy, and active involvement in their communities.¶
“For the past three years, we have conveyed, by example, the power and utility that a student inherently possesses through their voice,” Brendan West, the nonprofit’s founder and president, said. “As SFE expands nationally, we aim to help students across every state realize this power, and aid them in recognizing their responsibility as citizens living in a democracy. In the midst of an extremely turbulent political landscape, we remain confident that the future will be shaped by meaningful youth engagement and civic participation.”¶
West told Tennessee Firefly that the nonprofit aims to encourage self-advocacy among soon-to-be voters and young voters, who appear more politically engaged than ever ahead of November elections. However, he said, there is still much progress to be made, particularly in states like Tennessee, which had the worst voter turnout in the nation in 2022.¶
“Eighteen-to-29 year old voters are one of the lower turnout demographics. If we get kids engaged now while they're in high school and while they're building a foundational understanding of how government works, then I expect to see a huge increase in 18-to-29 turnout when these kids reach voting age,” he said. “Students are starting to realize how important all of this is, and I think that's no small part due to what we've seen happen in Tennessee [with political polarization], as well as nationwide.”¶
According to West, SFE’s recent expansion follows major successes in Tennessee, including the establishment of 12 active chapters in-state and unanimous support in two House committees for Tennessee House Bill 2818, which would have allowed high school students in good standing to take one day off per school year to visit the Capitol or engage in the civic process by speaking with legislators and learning more about how governance works in general.¶
West said that while that bill “hit a wall” in the state Education Committee, the organization is continuing to advocate for giving students a seat at the table.¶
“We wanted to get student voices in but went back to check the calendar of the legislative session since 2020 and saw that there was not a single day where the legislature was in session and public schools weren't,” he said. “We’re looking forward to introducing it again.”¶
In addition to this work, SFE hosted a policy forum in August with panels that featured state legislators Sen. Heidi Campbell and Rep. Caleb Hemmer, as well as other political and community leaders, educators, and students, to foster discussions about issues facing youth today.¶
Moving forward, West said the nonprofit’s main focus will be within its chapters, where SFE leaders will promote more events and spaces for open discussion among K-12 youth and public policy leaders.¶
“No matter what side you're on, it’s important that you're aware of what's happening and that you're able to engage in civil discourse and dialogue with your peers, so that's something we're really pushing right now,” he said, adding that the organization will also advocate for other bills across the U.S. geared toward increasing youth civic engagement.¶
