EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF ADVOCATES

NCAC’s Student Advocates for Speech Leadership Program is the only one of its kind which focuses on creating high school-level student advocates who can speak about the direct impact that book bannings and other forms of educational censorship have on their ability to learn and engage in free inquiry and critical thinking.

The SAS Leadership Program will create a network of student leaders in key target states who will become front line advocates to address free speech challenges happening in their communities. SAS Leaders will learn about current free speech challenges and NCAC will provide personalized advocacy skills and training to enable high schoolers to become leaders in the efforts to protect free speech and open expression in their communities.

The SAS program builds off of NCAC’s expertise and resources – and contributes unique added value to a field by engaging and providing resources to the next generation of advocates for free speech.

The SAS program will also benefit from opportunities to partner and advocate with another NCAC program: the Kids’ Right to Read Network (KRRN). KRRN is a national grassroots network of local community organizers who advocate at school board meetings and in the local community to support and defend books. They speak at school board meetings, public library boards and are also organizing book drives to get banned books out into the community to raise awareness. Involving students in their efforts enables the KRRN to work with directly affected students and enables young people to play a critical role in their community.

Please visit the Student Advocates for Speech FAQ to learn more about our program.

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EMPOWERING
Youth

SAS provides the next generation of leaders with tools to hone and promote the essential principles of free expression and to be lifelong advocates for free speech as both a fundamental human right and a keystone of democracy.

Watch our leaders in action.

AMPLIFYING
Voices

The goals of SAS are to help students fight for their own free speech rights as well as the rights of others, including those they disagree with; and amplifying the voices of young people in democratic civic life.

Learn more about the SAS program.

TRAINING
Youth Advocates

NCAC will provide free speech education, advocacy training, guidance on activism to defend banned books, and opportunities for leadership on issues including student free press freedom and policy advocacy. Meet the Trainers.

SAS Leaders will meet monthly to discuss and learn how to promote the essential principles of free expression as they relate to contemporary issues.

Meet OUR SAS LEADERS

UPCOMING EVENTS

PAST EVENTS

Defending Student Press Freedom

February 25
5pm ET / 4pm CT

A Conversation with High School Students to celebrate Student Free Press Day 2024

This virtual event features student leaders from NCAC’s Student Advocates for Speech and Student Press Law Center’s New Voices programs! Join students for a conversation about the value of student journalists and their role in shaping civic culture in their schools and communities in an election year.

Participation is free for all high school students. Registration is required.

Topic: How a Banned Book Changed My Life

Winners Announced

The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) and The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Impact and Legacy Fund have co-sponsored an essay contest for high school students!

A panel of judges selected Neve Bonura-Learnard (Newbury, Ma.) and Harsidak Singh (Arlington, Va.) who received a $250 credit for Kindle or Apple Books and read their essays during the 2023 SCBWI Impact and Legacy Fund Children’s Book Changemakers virtual conference on June, 8 2023. Winners also interviewed (and were interviewed by) Ellen Hopkins, acclaimed banned author of “Crank.” Honorable Mention was awarded to Mariama Cisse (Dunwoody, GA) who received a $100 credit for Kindle or Apple Books.

STUDENT TESTIMONIALS

The best part of the program so far this year was crafting our review of a banned book that impacts us. Being able to discuss and learn from successful and insightful authors was immensely beneficial and I really enjoyed being able to hear their takes. It was fun to make something about a book I really cared about.

I’ve enjoyed being able to form connections within the national side of the program…Using the skills and tools from NCAC, I have been able to further defend free speech in my county.

I think my favorite part was actually during the summer when we had just begun delving into various free speech cases.

There’s so many things I can do with SAS that I didn’t have before. A supportive backing is amazing.

MEDIA COVERAGE

Friends of SAS

Student Advocates for Speech is administered by the National Coalition Against Censorship’s Youth Free Expression Program. Please contact NCAC’s Youth Free Expression Coordinator Gianmarco Antosca at [email protected].

Your donation will help us foster the next generation of advocates.  Each dollar equals endless opportunities for our nation’s youth. Please contact NCAC’s Development Director  Josh Corday  [email protected] to  learn how you can lend
your support.

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