Jack Klein’s Civic Connections helps students work with local government

A New Jersey student-led advisory is helping high schoolers turn civic ideas into action by connecting them with local and state officials. The work has already supported several student initiatives, including an ASL course option, an ASL club and a social entrepreneurship certificate.

Why it matters: - Civic Connections is trying to close a common gap for student activists: many have ideas, but do not know which officials to contact or how to advance a proposal. - The advisory aims to help high school students move from an idea to a concrete policy or school change. - The organization says its work can affect thousands over time through student-led initiatives.

What happened: - Jack Klein, a Livingston, New Jersey high school student, built Civic Connections over the past year as an advisory for students seeking change in their schools or communities. - Klein sharpened the effort after New Jersey Boys State, where he was elected President of the Boys State Senate and finished as gubernatorial runner-up out of 850 delegates. - Boys State is a selective civic leadership program where students simulate state government. - Klein said the experience gave him a clearer sense of how to help students turn ideas into action.

The details: - Civic Connections works with students to refine goals, build strategy and identify local or state leaders who can help. - Klein said most public servants are open to feedback from constituents, regardless of age. - The advisory has supported a New Jersey public school system in adding American Sign Language as an online course option and creating an ASL club. - Civic Connections also connected another student with school administrators to advance engineering proposals within a school setting. - Klein worked with young entrepreneurs and local legislators to build a government-recognized Certificate of Social Entrepreneurship. - He is currently working with a teen leader seeking to bring mental health support into middle and high schools in his state. - The nonprofit has worked on nine student initiatives to date. - At Boys State, Klein helped lead legislative proceedings and worked on policy proposals involving clean energy, affordability, teacher pay and labor pay. - Some of those proposals advanced far enough to reach the New Jersey governor’s desk. - Joseph McDonnell, senior city counselor at Boys State, said Klein showed strong leadership and the ability to rally peers and develop well-reasoned policy proposals.

Between the lines: - Boys State appears to have functioned as both a proving ground and a recruiting tool for Civic Connections, giving Klein firsthand experience with the legislative process he now helps students navigate. - The initiative is built around the idea that civic participation should not be limited by age. - Klein’s focus suggests youth advocacy may be most effective when paired with direct access to decision-makers and practical guidance on process.

What's next: - Klein wants to expand Civic Connections into a resource for high school students across the country. - He is encouraging students with community ideas to reach out through Civic Connections. - Students can also email jklein@civicconnections.org to get started. - Klein said his goal is to show students that civic involvement can begin as soon as they have an idea, a plan and the willingness to act.