About SCI

Our Mission

Inspiring Lifelong Learning & Leading

Students for Civic Impact educates and empowers high school students from the U.S. and around the world to become engaged citizens in their communities.

Our Vision

Students will be able to find their voice to build communities of understanding and action.

Our Values

Respect

The start of everything. We respect each other, our backgrounds, and diverse perspectives through active listening and seeking to understand.

Integrity

A trustworthy leader aligns their words and actions. By upholding integrity we build a strong community.

Activism

Turn your passion into action. Stand up, speak out, make a difference.

Responsibility

As leaders we navigate with purpose, knowing we have accountability for ourselves and the world around us.

Civic Impact
Summer Program

The Civic Impact Summer Program is a unique pre-collegiate residential experience for high school students entering grades 10-12 (ages 15-17), combining politics and communications courses, student-led dialogue and debate, interactive workshops, simulations, guest speakers, educational excursions, and special events. Designed to meet the interests and challenges of today’s students, the program equips young people with the knowledge, confidence, and leadership skills to become thoughtful, engaged citizens and future difference makers.

Students participate in university-level courses covering government, politics, public policy, and international affairs while developing critical skills in research, public speaking, and diplomacy. Learning extends beyond the classroom through hands-on workshops, guest speakers, simulations, and collaborative discussions that challenge students to think critically and engage with diverse perspectives.

Hosted on a university campus, the program provides an authentic college experience where students build lasting friendships, gain real-world skills, and connect classroom learning to the institutions shaping our democracy. Whether pursuing careers in public service, law, business, or seeking to become more active citizens, students leave the program with the knowledge, confidence, and skills to create meaningful civic impact.

Our Story

Students for Civic Impact was founded by former summer staff and program participants of Junior State of America (JSA) as a way to bring students together from the United States and around the world in an academically enriching setting with a focus on political science and public speaking, continuing JSA’s 90 years of shaping the next generation of leaders.