Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Clara Stevens. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Clara thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

Before August 2024, I dedicated hundreds of hours to Junior State America (JSA), a 90-year old organization dedicated to youth participation in debate and mock-congress conventions, with 6,000+ members and 8 regions nationally. I first served as Chapter President at my own school, where I hosted meetings and tripled my club’s membership. Then, throughout my three years in JSA, I increased my leadership responsibilities on the student-run Cabinet, and I was ultimately elected as Ohio River Valley Governor in April 2024. My role was to lead the 30+ schools in my region and direct the Expansion Department nationally. Over the summer, I fully committed myself to developing ideas to better the future of JSA. Instead of an internship, I spent 15+ hours a week on planning summer programs and organizing leadership conventions. And then, in August 2024 during the first month of my senior year of high school, JSA abruptly shut down.

This came as a complete shock. I had dedicated so much time and effort to this club that I truly loved, and suddenly, it was over. But the disbelief and sadness I felt only fueled me. With a new sense of resolve, I took the biggest risk of my life. Along with the other seven Governors, I committed myself to doing everything I could to continue the mission of spreading civic engagement and enabling the next generation of leaders. In one month, we created Civic Leaders of America (CLA), a national non-profit with a similar mission as JSA, but a much greater emphasis on local activism and community engagement. I resolved to use the skills I had learned from JSA to create a more sustainable model. At 17, with no adult guidance, I created corporation bylaws, researched insurance policies for in-person events, and spent weeks working with the other Governors to figure out how to apply for 501(c)(3) status. As of September 1st, we obtained an EIN number and created a bank account so that we could legally accept donations. We’ve worked tirelessly to build this organization from the ground up, and since becoming official, I have planned two regional events in which over 100 students have had the opportunity to learn more about politics, engage in debates, and hear from guest speakers in our first ever Career in Politics panel.

I initially viewed Junior State of America dissolving as a disaster. But the opportunity to take an incredibly challenging yet rewarding risk, co-founding Civic Leaders of America, has taught me so much about myself, provided leadership experience, and fueled my passion for activism that will last well beyond high school.

Learn more about our organization on our website here: https://www.orvcivicleadersofamerica.com/.

More information about our recent Career in Politics Panel can be seen here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-tQVbw_EGRGd4EbIDbUrQHOOvf2zCHT9JspHRX-tTFA/edit?usp=sharing.

Clara, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Clara Stevens, and I am currently a senior at Columbus Academy HS. I have been passionate about politics for years, but it wasn’t until I had the chance to co-found Civic Leaders of America (CLA) that my dedication to promoting activism and civic engagement really grew. I work with 7 other student-leaders across the country to lead CLA nationally, and as a whole our organization hosts 3 events in each of our 8 regions per year. During these in-person conventions, we offer our 4,000+ high school delegates debate experience, mock-congress style bill writing opportunities, and education on current events and activism. I view CLA as a platform students can use to become more involved in their own communities and make the change they are passionate about. At the regional level, we encourage our members to attend Town Hall meetings, hold voter registration drives, volunteer on campaigns, and more to promote regional engagement in our political system. In my region, the Ohio River Valley, we have hosted two events in Columbus, Ohio so far this year. Our students have had the chance to improve their public speaking skills in formal debates, learn about the election process at our Election Season event, and hear from local leaders in politics and activism at our Fall State Career in Politics panel. In my eyes, the impact I have been able to make in such a short time is the most rewarding, fulfilling part of leading this organization. We have made conventions more accessible and provided educational opportunities to more students than ever before, and I look forward to all CLA will do this year and beyond.

Any advice for managing a team?

As a high school leader organizing groups of teenage volunteers, I have a lot of experience with motivating teams. On the regional level, CLA is made up of a state-wide Cabinet, and in my region this group has 30+ students in various departments like Debate, Publicity, Activism, etc. I work directly with Department Directors and indirectly with the entirety of my Cabinet, and maintaining morale, work ethic, and engagement in this group is the most important factor in our success, especially during busy exam seasons. One issue I’ve seen is students who aren’t fully bought in, students who have busy lives and other priorities. In a world where not everyone can dedicate 100% effort to every one of their activities, I try to make CLA the most fun and supportive group possible. My advice for other volunteer organizers is to regularly check in with those who work for you. Develop personal relationships, support their needs, and create connections within your organization. My team has become good friends over the course of the year, making CLA feel more like fun than work.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Given that CLA is a non-profit, we are reliant on donations to support our students and host future events. This year, as we got off of our feet, we hosted multiple fundraisers to pool initial funding for our scholarship fund – a system where we help students from low-income backgrounds attend our conventions, which are usually priced around $40. The fundraiser I’d like to highlight is a virtual auction. With limited resources and support in the beginning of our journey, CLA hosted an auction where our Cabinet members each donated mainly non-material items: AP Chemistry homework help, SAT tutoring, Spotify playlist-making. This creative list of items was then presented during a live auction attended by high school delegates across the Ohio River Valley. We ended up raising $500 for our scholarship fund, and we had the ability to support students in attending Fall State.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.orvcivicleadersofamerica.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/civicleadersofamerica/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/civic-leaders-of-america/posts/?feedView=all

Image Credits

Emma Yu