Connecting, inspiring and empowering Chicago's future leaders

The Chicago Ideas Youth Program seeks to serve and empower the next generation of changemakers in our city. Now entering its 6th year, the goal of CI Youth is to provide a platform where Chicago high school students can seek out new opportunities, internalize a leadership mentality, and gain exposure to ideas that will spark their desire and enlarge their capacity to change the world around them. Programmatically, CI Youth operates on two levels: an intensive, two year long ambassador program that serves a cohort of 35, and a city-wide initiative that serves 1,900 Chicago teenagers through events-based programming.

Speaker Connects

These events directly connect the youth with Chicago Ideas Week speakers, providing students with opportunities for deeper engagement, knowledge and interaction.

Professional Events

Chicago Ideas Youth have the opportunity to attend three professional events over the course of the year. At all of our events, students engage with a panel, have multiple one-on-one mentoring interactions, and participate in open networking all with our diverse community of professionals.

Youth Ambassador Program

The Chicago Ideas Youth Ambassador program provides 35 high school students from underrepresented communities in Chicago direct access to Chicago Ideas Week programming, a year-long event schedule of behind the-scenes access to companies and organizations, and a direct pipeline to our globally recognized speakers for more intimate small group interactions.

Ideas Day

Ideas Day is a unique, youth-driven initiative designed to bring action-driven events to students in their communities. By putting the Chicago Ideas programming model into the hands of Chicago high school students, these students in turn create impactful programs for their peers, and hone their leadership, professional, and problem-solving skills, all the while exposing their classmates to transformational ideas around the themes that matter most to them.

Chicago Ideas Youth Resources

Chicago Ideas Youth is committed to empowering youth across the city of Chicago. As we activate our students, we are also committed to creating resources that make those activation models replicable and available to educators, youth partners, and individuals across the non-profit sector. Explore and download our reports, curriculum, and facilitator guides below.

Get Resources

Steve Dolinsky and Stephanie Izard take questions prior to "The Future of Food in America" program
Kenny Leon and Phylicia Rashad at Chicago Ideas Youth Speaker Connect
Oceanographer, David Gallo, visits biology class at Wendell Phillips Academy High School
Deepak Chopra gives Chicago Ideas Youth Life-Changing Guidance on Unlocking Your Personal Healing Power
Jessamyn Stanley demonstrates a yoga pose at Hirsch High School
Emmy Award–winning writer Lena Waithe met students prior to CIW stage program
Tiq Milan and Kim Katrin Milan part of the Speaker Connect talks to students at Schurz High School
Speaker connect with Common
Rachel Roy answers questions about entrepreneurship
Chicago Ideas Youth Professional Development Event at Edelman Chicago

2015 Edison Talks

The pulse is energetic. You feel it in the air because you know once you walk out on stage all eyes are on you. It feels good to know you’re inspiring others.

Taffanisha Harrington

Richards Career Academy (12th Grade)
Youth Ambassador

The Ambassador program has given me a new perspective on my surroundings and showed me how I can impact my community. I also had the chance to meet some pretty interesting people.”

Nikia Smith

Perspectives Math and Science Academy (11th Grade)
Youth Ambassador

The Ambassador program has meant so much to me! When I first joined the program, I was very shy and didn’t like meeting new people. I am more comfortable meeting new people and going outside my comfort zone.

Erica Seals

Chicago Tech Academy High School (12th Grade)
2015 Participant

Seeing Lynsey Addario and the photographs she has taken around the world was inspirational. I learned about a career I hadn't previously known about

Misael Soto

Amundsen High School (11th Grade)

More Than Just Events

Members of the Chicago Ideas Youth program are mentored and celebrated. We recently gathered at Nike Chicago to recognize our 2017 Youth Ambassadors.

Chicago Ideas Youth Partners

Chicago Ideas Youth would not be possible without our Sponsors, Partner Organizations and generous Lab Hosts.

Chicago Ideas Youth Lab Hosts

Thank you to all of our Lab hosts for providing our students incredible behind the scenes access:

Equity Commonwealth: Real Estate in Action
Comedy Sportz: Improv + Communication Skillz
PWC: Budgeting, Consumer Fraud, and Financial Planning
IDEO: Design Thinking and Ideation
mHUB: Think it, Make it, Break it, Better it: Product Creation in a Manufacturing Makerspace
Ballot Ready: Let’s Throw A Ballot Party!
Shedd Aquarium: Exploring Marine Biology
IIT: Architecture, Design, and Constructing your World
Google: We’re Not In Chicago Anymore...AI Exploration with Cardboard
DMC, Inc.: ALL the Engineering! A Hands-On Deep Dive into Engineering and Consulting with DMC, Inc.
Lincoln Park Zoo: Animal Behavior, Technology, and Observation
Lifeway Kefir: Cooking and Fermenting at The Chopping Block
Chicago Botanic Gardens: The Farm on Ogden
American Institute of Architects: Students and Architects Weigh In on School Safety
The Chopping Block: How To Make Homemade Pasta
Ink Factory: Visual Note-Taking
Gravity Studios: Recording and Mixing Tracks in the Music Studio
Urbanime @ Columbia College: The Graphic Novel and How to Be Your Own Superhero

Sponsor Support

Chicago Ideas Youth program is proudly supported by the following companies and organizations who share our commitment to supporting youth in Chicago: