Teams from 19 schools across the city will be inspired by leaders to innovate solutions for their communities
Contact: Jon Purves
Senior Media Relations Associate
202 736 2111 | Jon.Purves@aspeninstitute.org
The Aspen Challenge — a program of the Aspen Institute founded in partnership with the Bezos Family Foundation — is teaming up with the Dallas Independent School District for a second year to launch Aspen Challenge Dallas 2019. A daylong youth leadership development forum on January 31 kicks off this year’s Aspen Challenge. Teams of students and teachers from 19 high schools throughout Dallas will hear from leaders pioneering change to current pressing issues.
These leaders will present challenges to the students around topics including immigration, civil discourse, the environment, preventive health and access to care, and mental health. The teams then have eight weeks to work on innovative solutions to the challenges, and on March 28 they will reconvene to present their solutions to a panel of judges. One winning team will be chosen to attend the Aspen Ideas Festival in June in Aspen, CO, to present their work.
WHO: Challenge participants include 19 high school teams of eight students ranging from grades nine through twelve and two teachers (the coaches for the program), totaling 190 participants from Dallas Independent School District. Please visit www.aspenchallenge.org/dallas to see a list of the participating Dallas high schools.
FEATURED SPEAKERS:
Liz Cedillo-Pereira, director of the City of Dallas Office of Welcoming Communities and Immigrant Affairs
Jessica Gomez, clinical psychologist and director of clinical innovation at Momentous Institute
Tigee Hill, director of partnerships and initiatives at Health Leads
Michael Hinojosa, superintendent of the Dallas Independent School District
Eric Liu, founder and CEO of Citizen University; director of the Aspen Institute Citizenship & American Identity Program
Byron Sanders, president and CEO of Big Thought
Aaryaman Singhal, chief operating officer of Groundwork Dallas and director of its Green Team youth program
And more! For the complete list of presenters visit aspenchallenge.org
WHEN: January 31, 2019 | 9am – 5pm & March 28, 2019 | 9am – 6pm
WHERE: Fair Park, Briscoe Carpenter Livestock Auditorium, 1403 Washington Street Dallas, TX 75210
RSVP: If you are a member of the media who wishes to attend please RSVP to Jon Purves at Jon.Purves@aspeninstitute.org by Tuesday, January 29.
The Aspen Challenge provides inspiration, tools, and a platform for young people to design solutions to some of the most critical problems humanity faces. For more information, please visit aspenchallenge.org or www.facebook.com/TheAspenChallenge.
The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute is based in Washington, DC; Aspen, Colorado; and on the Wye River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It also has offices in New York City and an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.
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