GenerationNation

09/15/2026

Want to make YOUR voice heard on CMS policies as the 2027 Student Advisor to the school board? Apply to be a candidate before the deadline on Sunday night!

If selected as a finalist and then win the districtwide student vote, you’ll be elected to serve in this incredible leadership role to represent 140,000 students in school board discussions and policy making.

Build on the work done by Inchara, Lucy, Ailen, Juan, Breana, Gabe, Kendall, Tiana, and Saniye - and take it to the next level!!

The Student Advisor program is a partnership between students, CMS Board Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools GenerationNation Inchara Gopinath

Visit cmsk12.org/2027studentadvisor to learn more and apply!

09/10/2026

Tomorrow marks the 25th anniversary of September 11.

Most of the young people serving and leading 9/11 Day of Service projects this week weren’t alive that day.

But they’re choosing to remember by taking action.

They’re leading. Volunteering. Raising awareness. Educating others. Giving their time, talents, and resources. Supporting peers and neighbors. Bringing communities together. And creating a stronger future.

Youth may not remember September 11, but they are helping shape how it will be remembered.

We’re honored to work alongside the young people, schools, nonprofits, local governments, and community leaders turning remembrance into service.

Thank you to Youth Service America, 9/11 Day, and AmeriCorps for making this work possible. 🇺🇸

09/08/2026

“The future isn’t something that happens to us. It’s something that we build.” 🌳

Inspiring words from Mike Rizer, Executive Director of Corporate Citizenship at Ally Financial, who joined us at the GenerationNation Civic Leaders Breakfast to share his vision on leadership, community resilience, and opportunity with youth and community leaders. A few key takeaways:

✨ Believe in what’s possible: “Throughout history, every meaningful change has started with someone who believed that improvement was possible... Young people have the ability to see other ways.”

🌉 Connect and hold each other up: Drawing inspiration from California’s redwood trees, whose shallow, interconnected root systems allow them to withstand massive storms, Mike reminded us that “our strength comes not from our individual strength, but from our collective strength. None of us succeeds alone.”

🤝 Expand social capital: “Ask who’s not in the room and who should be. Who can we learn from?”

🚀 Choose to participate: “You don’t have to be a CEO or have a title to lead.”

Thank you to Mike Rizer and everyone who joined us to invest in our future leaders and remind us that true progress happens when we build together.

🙌🏼 Great job by student leader Luka in introducing Mike Rizer!

09/01/2026

🌟”They showed me possibilities I did not know existed. That’s when I knew I needed to be the catalyst for my community.”

At our Civic Leaders Breakfast, Dr. Raquishela Stewart of City of Charlotte The Office of Youth Opportunities (OYO) shared her powerful journey of growing up in South Central Los Angeles, and how finding an organization like GenerationNation completely shifted and expanded her horizon. 💫

She shared that the development of young leaders is one of the most important investments that we can make. Leadership development begins with exposure. When young people get the mentorship, environment, and opportunities to lead projects, solve real problems, and serve, they discover possibilities they never knew existed.

Thank you Dr. Stewart for your kind words about our work and for your partnership. We are proud to work with you in supporting the power of youth opportunities for Charlotte!

🙌🏾 Great job by student leader Bee in introducing Dr. Stewart!

08/29/2026

Calling all CMS sophomores and juniors!

Applications are now open for the 2027 CMS Student Advisor! 🌟

Learn more about the role and get your questions answered live by attending our Virtual Interest Meeting on Thursday, September 3rd at 6:00 PM.

📅 EVENT DETAILS
• Who Can Attend: Current CMS 10th & 11th-grade students

• Format: Virtual

• Link & Details: cmsk12.org/2027studentadvisor

Don't miss your chance to amplify student voices across Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools! 💬

08/27/2026

“You aren’t just the future leaders in this room. You are leaders already, making an impact right now.”

🌟 Many thanks to Charlotte City Council District 1 Representative Danté Anderson for reminding everyone at the Civic Leaders Breakfast that young people are not simply preparing to lead some day: they are already making a difference today.

Anderson celebrated the leadership, brilliance, and engagement of GenerationNation students, sharing how every opportunity to work alongside the youth leaves her inspired by what lies ahead for Charlotte: young people who are paying attention, staying engaged, and asking smart and tough questions. 

Their voices, ideas, and leadership are an important part of the vision shaping our city today. 💫

🙌🏾 Great job by student leader Winny Gracy in introducing Councilmember Anderson!

08/21/2026

A morning filled with connection, conversation, and civic leadership! ☀️

GenerationNation’s Civic Leaders Breakfast brought student leaders and community leaders together to connect, share perspectives, and celebrate the power of positive, collaborative civic leadership. We’re grateful to everyone who helped make this inspiring morning possible and raise awareness and support for GenerationNation.

Many thanks again to event speakers Dante Anderson, Raquishela Stewart, and Mike Rizer, joined by GenerationNation youth Aahana, Bee, Inchara, Luka, Samuel, and Winny Gracy, and board members Diane Gavarkavich, LaShaun Carter, and Ashleigh Fields.

Thank you to our event sponsors: Foundation for the Carolinas, Nexstar Charitable Foundation, American Airlines, Brighthouse Financial, Charlotte Hornets, DTG Community Services, and Sunshine Media Network, and table sponsors: Paul Burley, LaShaun Carter, City of Charlotte Office of Youth Opportunities, Civic Impact Academy, Melissa Hovey, and Truliant Federal Credit Union.

And big congratulations again to our 2026 Civic Leadership Award recipients: April Alonso, Morgan Winston, and Brad Panovich! 🎉

Thank you to everyone who showed up, connected, celebrated, and invested in a new generation of civic leaders. Powered by your support and energy, we’re excited to kick off an amazing and bright year! ✨

08/19/2026

What if the students who live it every day helped shape the future of Charlotte and CMS? 💫

That’s CMYC.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Youth Council (CMYC) brings high school students from across the community together throughout the year with school, government, and civic leaders to co-create the Charlotte and school district youth want and need.

Last year, students tackled big issues that matter to them—from AI and teen third spaces to mental health, school and community safety, budgets, urban design, and CMS policies.

CMYC is more than a council. It’s a place where young people:
✨ Play a real role in school and community decision-making
🗣️ Make student voices heard
🚀 Build leadership and professional skills
🏛️ Learn how their community works and engage in policy
💼 Explore careers and connect with leaders
🤝 Build lasting friendships with students across Charlotte

Best of all, it’s youth-powered. CMYC was co-created with students because young people shouldn’t just be asked what they think - youth should have a role in shaping what happens next.

For school, civic, and community leaders, CMYC is a think tank of informed, engaged young people ready to take the lead.

Are you a high school student who wants to help shape Charlotte and CMS? Your voice belongs at the table!

👉 Join CMYC: tinyurl.com/joincmyc

CMYC is a partnership between youth, the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, and GenerationNation.

08/14/2026

Charlotte is being shaped by the young people who call it home. 💛

We love collaborating with and hearing from young civic leaders as they envision the activities, spaces, and support youth want and need in our community.

This summer through next spring, Sofia, Jordoni, and Tomar and 26 other youth are serving as City of Hobbies Fellows, interviewing peers and observing spaces across Charlotte to better understand what helps young people find joy, purpose, and connection.

This week, they presented their insights to youth and a team of 11 nonprofit, public, and private partners working together to help all Charlotteans find a hobby that brings them joy and purpose.

We’re listening to and learning from youth, and excited to share more from the youth-led research and more later this year! ✨













Learn more about the initiative at cityofhobbies.org

08/13/2026

✨ We’re proud to share GenerationNation’s 2025–26 Impact Report, a celebration of what’s possible when a community comes together to invest in young people and their leadership.

Together we:
💡 Created more opportunities for young people to lead
🗣️ Helped students build civic literacy and engage in school and community decision-making and co-creation
🌟 Supported thousands of students as they stepped up as problem-solvers and civic leaders
✅ Expanded our reach across Charlotte and North Carolina
🤝 Connected with more students and alumni

Our students didn’t just learn about civic life and leadership. They lived it.

As we look ahead to 2026–27 and beyond, our purpose remains clear: give every student the opportunity to be a civic leader.

⭐️Thank you for helping us to lead with purpose and building a brighter future, together.

Check out the full report https://www.flipsnack.com/E7E9A6ED75E/generationnation-2025-26-impact-report