Changing Voting Culture at Stenn Civics Education Initiative

Parker welcomed When We All Vote Executive Director Beth Lynk to campus on Monday for a day of discussion, civics and introspection as part of the Stenn Family Civics Education Initiative. With the presidential election right around the corner, Lynk focused on the work of her organization to change the culture around voting and increase participation in each and every election by helping to close the race and age gaps.

Lynk previously was assistant secretary for public affairs in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. She served as a senior advisor at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, driving the campaign strategy for one of the most successful Affordable Care Act Marketplace open enrollment periods in history. She also led the Census Counts Campaign at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coordinated effort that brought together businesses, foundations, cities, faith leaders and community organizations to reach communities the census has historically missed to be counted in the 2020 Census. (Read more on Lynk here.)

Lynk spoke at a Morning Ex with the gathered community before attending a nighttime lecture in the Kovler Family Library. Led by seniors Mala Singh Levin and Beckett Jennison Nikitas, she engaged in two question-and-answer sessions to drive home her message on the importance of participating in our democracy at every level. Specifically, she responded to questions about her career path, pivotal issues for this election, barriers to participation and specific ways her organization actively works to increase voter turnout. She also discussed options for civic involvement beyond voting, which resonated with students younger than 18 who aren’t able to vote yet. She ended her time with students by giving advice to young people interested in civic engagement and politics, and she ended her nighttime lecture by emphasizing the importance of voting, specifically in this election.

Parker is aware that the continued success of a democracy is determined by active and honest participation in the processes that shape it. As the school works toward its mission to educate students to think and act with empathy, courage and clarity as responsible citizens and leaders in a diverse democratic society, visits from thought leaders like Lynk illustrate the importance of these lessons and the real-world applications of the ideas students discover inside Parker’s walls.

Click here for photos or watch videos of the Morning Ex and Lecture below.