Why this project
High schoolers are the most direct beneficiaries of better transit in the Valley right now. Many of them already use the bus to get to school, to work, and to friends. Many more would if it ran more often.
This project is not a broad-appeal effort — we’re not pretending every Valley teenager will wake up tomorrow excited about a regional transit funding mechanism. We are looking for the nerds, the mock trial kids, the journalism class, the student government wonks, the TYSA participants — the high schoolers who already care about civic things and just need a real-world cause to put their teeth into.
Goals
- Build relationships with civics, government, and AP US Government teachers in CCSD high schools
- Develop classroom-ready materials about Valley transit
- Pursue grant funding for student-led transit advocacy projects
- Coordinate with CCSD and RTC on potential public-outreach partnerships
- Identify a small cohort of student leaders for the 2026–2027 school year
Why it matters
The high school students of 2026 are the voters of 2030. By the time we are running ballot campaigns to fund the next phase of transit in the Valley, today’s high schoolers will be in college or working. Investing in them now pays for itself, repeatedly, for the next decade.