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To protect student privacy, we use AI-generated images to represent the classroom experience.
Every Student - Every Voice
High school students share their vision of the America they want to live in. Their words come together to create a living picture of the hopes and values of a new generation of Americans.
Experience Democracy by Practicing It
HOW IT WORKS
One question. Two words.
A national picture.
Students answer one simple question:
“What kind of America do you want to live in?”
Each student chooses two words that describe the kind of country they want to live in. There are no right or wrong answers — the words are their own.
From the classroom to
the Community
Students take the same question into their communities, interviewing adults of different ages and backgrounds and asking each person to choose two words of their own.
The result brings student and community voices together, giving students the experience of listening to perspectives beyond their own — and giving adults a chance to see how their aspirations for America compare with those of a new generation.
Words Create Civic Portraits
Student and community responses come together on the platform to create Civic Portraits. Words chosen most often appear larger, making it easy to see what matters most. Civic Portraits can be compared across schools, communities, states, regions, and the nation.
Teachers Turn the Words
into Civic Learning
Teachers use the Civic Portraits to start classroom discussions, digging beneath the words to explore why students chose them and what they signify.
Students also examine how their words connect to the Constitution — its principles, rights, and responsibilities — turning their own choices into a starting point for civic learning.
Students Lead the
Community Conversation
Students invite parents and other members of the community into the school and lead the conversation themselves. Together, they look at the student and community Civic Portraits, discover the similarities and surprises, and talk about the America they want.
It is civic engagement at its most natural — people coming together, listening to one another, exchanging ideas, and enjoying the conversation.
When Classrooms Connect,
the National
Conversation Begins
Students from different parts of the country meet virtually to compare their Civic Portraits and talk about the America they want.
In the process, they get to know their peers in other regions and communities, discover where their aspirations are shared and where they differ, and learn to listen to perspectives beyond their own.
This is where individual classroom conversations become a national conversation.
A Student's View
HOW IT BEGAN
The question that started everything.
Before there was a platform, there was a question — asked of young adults, politicians, community leaders, and influential voices across America:
" What is the America you want? "
These videos are where the project started.
Their answers showed the power of a simple question — and helped inspire
what The America I Want has become.
Donors & Foundations
Teachers & Donors: See the Platform in Action