To celebrate 100 years, NLC wanted to hear from the youth of
America’s cities, towns, and villages. Young people were invited to creatively
answer a single question: How are youth shaping the next 100 years of our cities.
They were asked to consider what youth engagement might look like
in the future and how the youth of tomorrow will expand their voice. The
submissions lean into artistic expression, including poems, essays, videos, and
more.
Youth Create! Challenge Winners:
$15,000 Award: Project City
Bontu Reddy & Marita Neha
Austin, TX
Youth Statement: After seven weeks, plenty of surveys, 80-100 hours clocked between us both, around 30 people who gave us feedback, and hundreds of ideas and tries we present to you Project City! We started out wanting to do community service for an after-school club and help the environment but there was no definite website that had everything about it that we wanted to know, especially as teens. So, we created Project City. Project City is a tabletop board game that teaches kids and teens about the environment and what they can do to help! Through a tedious graphic design process, and many hours of website creation, we have a scannable QR code on each of our playing cards, linking them back to an environmental event/fact on our blog. Unlike most websites that find you an event close to you, we also created a learning center for kids who want to learn, a community group for people who want to share their experiences, a blog with tips for the world around us, and product advice to keep the environment safe. We hope to win this competition and use the winning money to kickstart our mission and bring this game to life! We have our abstract, graphic designs, rules, and presentation all uploaded below. In addition to our uploaded components, we used boardgamesmaker.com to create a one-of-one real playable prototype of our actual game to test! Please let us know if you would like us to mail our prototype to NLC. Thank you for your consideration!
$7,000 Award: A Time for Change
Charles Kinsey
Tampa, FL
Youth Statement: “A Time of Change,” a short film, highlights how our future can take a wrong turn if we don’t take action now. While it emphasizes the importance of community in fostering imagination in younger generations, it also reveals how our community can sometimes stray off course. Ultimately, the film reminds us that creativity and collaboration are essential for building a brighter tomorrow. This film was filmed in Tampa Bay showcasing pictures and videos from the damage of hurricane Helene and Milton, a car ride to my school, and the Tampa Beach.
$2,000 Award: Flying with Change
Cambridge Youth Council
Cambridge, MA
Youth Statement: If youth can make such a difference now, what’s stopping us from shaping an even greater future for tomorrow?
Our video demonstrates what youth are doing now. We incorporated multimedia by using drone footage, stop-motion, and voiceovers to tell our city’s story. We included the changes CYC has been making in Cambridge, as well as expressing our hope for the future. Our video is a small example of what happens when a group effectively communicates, works as a team, and demonstrates strong leadership skills.
This project was done by one group from one city. Youth are unstoppable. Just imagine what we can all do together to create more access and opportunities for all our cities.
$1,000 Award:
Rapid City Youth City Council
Rapid City, SD
Youth Statement: Our entry is a short video detailing what we as the Rapid City Youth City Council do for ourselves as students and our community as leaders. By using the “believe, lead, and achieve” model, we intend to show our process of getting things done together while also remaining individual and diverse as a group.
$250 Award: Change Makers
Sadhvi Reddy
Tomball, TX
Youth Statement: My poem is a short, descriptive way of how youth voice is amplified via our current forms of communications and by those we call “youth leaders”. I expand upon the modernization of the way we address issues and how we continue to seek a betterment of society.
$250 Award: Youth as Architecture of the Future: Shaping the Next 100 Years of Our Cities
Carmen Yadi
College Park, GA
Youth Statement: Youth-led organizations and movements will continue to gain momentum, advocating for climate justice, social equality, and technological ethics, inspiring others to take up leadership roles.
Young urban planners will prioritize inclusivity and sustainability, addressing environmental crises and social inequalities. They will champion green architecture, renewable energy, and circular economies, while advocating for affordable housing, accessible public transportation, and community centers that promote cultural exchange and social interaction. By fostering a sense of belonging and community, youth will help reduce social fragmentation and improve the quality of life for all residents.
In conclusion, the youth of today and tomorrow will significantly shape the future of our cities through innovative engagement, expanded voices, and a commitment to inclusivity and sustainability. Our efforts will transform urban landscapes into vibrant, resilient, and equitable spaces. As a member of the 2024 graduating class, I am greatly inspired by it.
$250 Award: The Leaders of Tomorrow!
Zaria Knight
Atlanta, GA
Youth Statement: My entry is a written motivational essay/speech that will encourage the future leaders of America and the world to stand up and show the world that we are capable of bringing about good changes to our nation, our country, our planet!
$250 Award: The Cities We Become
John Clint
Miami Gardens, FL
Youth Statement: I composed a poem that showcases the importance of young people in molding the future of our cities. I’m expressing my belief that young individuals are not just residing in cities but are actively changing them through our creativity, aspirations, and perseverance.
$250 Award: Growth Mindset of our Youth
Felicia Holly
Peroia, AZ
Youth Statement: My poem was written by myself and another member on my board, Mariano. Our poem is in the style of a Haiku, and it describes our growth as youth and how our future can change in anyway by just doing one thing. We describe how people are always vividly changing for either the better or the worse. It changes our perspective of time in which it tells us mysteries which still remain to be unsolved.
$250 Award: A Future Without Limits: Harnessing the Power of Youthful Ingenuity
Emma Kunkel
Tampa, FL
Youth Statement: With my entry, I sought to answer the prompt “How are youth shaping the next 100 years of our cities” by writing an essay that captures the spirit and temperament of youth today. Often, I find my peers pushing the bounds of our current understandings of what is practical. Technological innovations created by young people exemplify this, with their out-of-the-box solutions to problems and their blending of both logical, scientific understandings of the world with creativity, passion, and human expression. I believe these values are going to revolutionize, not just the next 100 years of our cities, but also the world.