Center for Rising Generations

People talk about rural communities all the time.

But they don’t always listen to the young people living in them.

If you’re 18–24 and have firsthand experience with rural schools, educators, and community life, this is your chance to change that.

CRG and at the Aspen Institute are launching Rooted & Rising—a multi-month storytelling project elevating youth perspectives on rural education, community connection, and rebuilding social trust.

As a Youth Journalist, you’ll share what you’re seeing on the ground—how relationships, trust, and care show up in schools and communities, and why they matter for young people’s success. You’ll receive coaching, creative support, and the opportunity to be recognized for the time and lived experience you bring to this work.

📅 Applications close February 23, 2026 (11:59 PM PT)

👇 Comment “JOURNALIST” below and we’ll send you the application

Your story matters—and it can help shape what comes next for rural education.

The snow isn't stopping us from doing the work to empower young leaders!

Our Executive Director is making moves while repping the Center of Rising Generations, ofc! Are you feeling the branded beanie 👀

Your voice deserves a platform. 🎤✨

CRG StoryLabs is a new opportunity for young people (18+) to create content, learn digital storytelling skills, and amplify youth voices — no fancy gear required. Just your phone and your story.

📹 1–2 short videos/month

⏱ 2–3 hours/month, on your schedule

📱 Get featured on CRG’s platforms

If you care about youth leadership, storytelling, or social impact — this is for you.

Applications are open.

Comment “STORY” to apply 👇

As 2025 comes to a close, we're taking a moment to reflect and to celebrate.

CRG's 2025 Year in Review is live, capturing a year of youth leadership, bold new initiatives, global partnerships, and the growing community supporting young people as leaders today.

Inside the report, you'll find stories from young changemakers, highlights from across The Aspen Institute ecosystem, and a look ahead at what's coming in 2026.

Read the 2025 Year in Review here - https://www.risinggenerations.org/2025-year-in-review/

Thank you for being part of this work! 🎉

Young leaders like The Stevens Initiative alum Amy Sit are shaping the future of education, civic life, and connection in a digital world. 🤝

✍️In this Groundbreakers feature, Amy shares insights from the Aspen Ideas Festival—from AI in classrooms to building real trust online.

🔗Read her powerful take: https://substack.com/home/post/p-171884418

🙌 Shout out to everyone who followed along and engaged with us throughout August. We loved sharing more about the CRG's youth programs and how you can get involved in leadership development opportunities at The Aspen Institute.

We hope you learned some helpful information, but in case you missed anything, check out our biggest takeaways of the month below!💡

Now that you have learned more, which CRG program do you hope to get involved with? Drop your answers in the comments. 💬

🎉We've had so much fun hearing from our CRG Delegates and Fellows from the CRG youth programs at TThe Aspen Institutethroughout August, and we hope you have enjoyed learning more about our work!

Youth leadership and civic engagement were at the heart of the stories we shared this month, and we are consistently inspired by our young leaders' insights on what it means to lead, ideas on how to make a difference in their communities, and the importance of their voices in shaping the future.✨

This visual represents the incredible ideas, passion, and common themes that our rising generation of leaders shared throughout the month. We are so proud of their commitment to making a positive impact, and can't wait to see them change the world.🌍