WAC Global Connections Club, Session 5

Join Global Classroom for a Global Connections Club session exploring how young people actively participate in democracy and shape their communities.

This session will feature guest speaker, Nolan Martin, Executive Director of  Washington YMCA Youth & Government, who will share how experiential civic education helps students move beyond learning about democracy to actually practicing it. Through programs like mock legislatures, mock trials, and student-led policy debates, young people gain firsthand experience in advocacy, leadership, and civic decision-making.

Participants will learn how youth voices play a vital role in a healthy democracy and explore real examples of student leadership and civic engagement across Washington State. The conversation will also connect to the 2026 World Citizen Essay Contest, which invites students to reflect on democracy from their own perspectives and consider how their voices can create meaningful change locally and globally.

This interactive session will include time for student questions and discussion and is designed for middle and high school students interested in civic engagement, leadership, and global citizenship.

Registration and Attendance
By registering for an event, you agree to provide accurate information and to adhere to the rules of the event, including respectful behavior toward others. We reserve the right to cancel or reschedule events due to unforeseen circumstances, in which case participants will be notified and offered a refund or credit toward future events.

Behavioral Expectations
The World Affairs Council creates opportunities for civil discourse on sometimes very divisive topics. Attendees at our events are required to engage respectfully with others. Disruptive, disrespectful, aggressive, or inappropriate behavior towards anyone at the program (participants, speakers, Council staff or venue event staff) may result in removal from the event and/or exclusion from future events.