PASE Network News

Institute for Citizens & Scholars’ Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness program is looking for young people between the ages of 14 and 24 to create bold, fresh civic solutions in their own communities. In 2026, 500 young civic changemakers from across the country will form 100 teams to lead community projects. This year’s cohort will focus on building three essential civic skills: having productive conversations, using credible information, and collaborating to create solutions. Participants will receive regular coaching and mentorship and will join an ongoing virtual peer network. Projects are eligible for up to $7,500 in funding. Learn more and submit a project proposal by May 4, 2026 on their website.  

Reel Works’ free filmmaking and workforce readiness workshops support and prepare New York City youth with essential insights and skills needed to create films or pursue careers in the media industry. Reel Works students receive hands-on training, learn from professional filmmakers, and use professional equipment to make festival-worthy films. Currently, Reel Works is highlighting four upcoming opportunities: The Dual Language Doc Lab, a 4-week documentary workshop taught in English and Spanish for bilingual youth ages 15-20; Intro to Broadcast Journalism, a 4-week hands-on broadcast journalism workshop for participants ages 16-19; Supported Experimental Lab, a 4-week experimental filmmaking workshop for neurodivergent participants ages 15-21; and Animation Lab, a 4-week 2D & 3D animation workshop for participants ages 14-19. All programs have an application deadline of June 8, 2026 and you can reach out to mariam@reelworks.org with any questions.   

Brooklyn Debate League is recruiting rising 6th graders through rising 12th graders to participate in their free Summer Debate Camps. The middle school camp runs from July 6, 2026 to July 17, 2026 and the high school camp runs from July 20, 2026 to August 7, 2026. Both camps run from Monday – Friday from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM each day and are based out of St. Francis College (179 Livingston St, Brooklyn, NY 11201). Students will build confidence speaking in front of others while learning the fundamentals of debate, argumentation, and persuasive communication. Students of all experience levels are welcome. Learn more and apply via the digital application by April 15, 2026. 

The Jack Cooke Kent Foundation is seeking high-achieving 7th graders to be part of their Cooke Young Scholars Program, their pre-college scholarship program. The Young Scholars Program provides funding for academic and extracurricular opportunities, educational advising, annual summer programs, and networking opportunities with a community of high-achieving peers. For support and guidance with completing a competitive application, families and educators can attend a virtual application workshop webinar on April 18, 2026 from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM. Applications are due by April 29, 2026 via their digital application form. Questions can be sent to scholarships@jkcf.org.   

Youth ages 14-21 are invited to join DCTV for their Summer Media Intensive (SMI) program, a four-week, hands-on summer learning experience in filmmaking. This free summer opportunity will take place from July 6, 2026 to July 31, 2026 on Mondays through Thursdays from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM in lower Manhattan (87 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10013). This program is as challenging as it is fun, and participants will take their ideas on a journey from imagination to creation. Students practice pitching, operate cameras, learn interviewing etiquette, develop professional industry editing techniques, and gain media literacy skills from pre-production to post-production. The culminating screening at the end of the program is at DCTV’s Firehouse Cinema, an academy-qualifying theatre. All films created in the program are then submitted to film festivals all over the globe for a chance to win prizes and add to students' resumes. Get a snapshot of the program experience by watching a behind the scenes reel of the 2025 program. Ready to get started? Apply by April 15, 2026 via the digital application form.