Youth Revive

Overview

Youth Revive is a nonprofit organization founded in 2013 by Adrian McConnell with the mission of closing the civic empowerment gap through character and civic education for youth in low-income communities. The organization focuses on empowering young people to create positive change in their neighborhoods.

Mission and Vision

The mission of Youth Revive is to provide character and civic education in schools, primarily in the South Dallas/Fair Park area, to bridge the gap between low-income minority youth and their wealthier counterparts. Their vision is to nurture character-driven youth who work to reconnect, rebuild, and revive communities.

Programs

Ignite Me Action Civics Curriculum

This program involves project-based civic education during the traditional school day. Students are guided through a six-phase framework: analyzing community assets and issues, conducting root-cause analysis, researching evidence, proposing solutions, developing action plans, and presenting projects at the capstone event, Community Action Project (C.A.P.) Day. Since its inception, the program has served over 600 students and has seen significant engagement with community issues.

Community Action Project Day

C.A.P. Day serves as the culmination of the Ignite Me Program, where students showcase their community action projects. It provides an opportunity for students to interact with local officials and community leaders.

Civic Saturday

Youth Revive partners with Citizen University to host Civic Saturday, a community event designed to foster civic discourse and engagement.

Citizen Redefined

This program encourages youth to reflect on moral tensions in American history, develop civic skills, and transition into civic adulthood, marked by a Civic Confirmation ceremony.

Core Values

• Community: Emphasizing the role of community in character and civic education.
• Character: Believing in the importance of character education for personal and societal transformation.
• Civics: Focusing on action civics to address civic disparities.
• Church: Viewing the Christian church as a vital community institution that should empower students.
• Collaboration: Partnering with public, private, and government entities to equip students as agents of change.

Leadership

Adrian McConnell serves as the Founding Executive Director, with Jaime Sisson as the Governing Board Chair. Judith Ortega is the Program Director, and Justin Sentell is a Program Facilitator.

Impact

Youth Revive has demonstrated significant impact, with students showing increased civic awareness and a willingness to engage in community issues. The organization continues to serve diverse communities, particularly focusing on Black or African American and Hispanic or Latinx youth.