STEAM Academy students get lesson on importance of civic engagement and the vote

Students at the Mount Vernon STEAM Academy took a deep dive into civics and the importance of voting during a student-led presentation that brought real-world insight into the classroom.

Senior Leonard Oduro, a fellow in the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) program, organized the event and introduced guest speaker Eric Crump, a political consultant who has served both the City of Mount Vernon and New York City.

“I am the student trustee of the district and we’re here to talk about voter registration,” Leonard told his peers in the packed auditorium on Friday afternoon. “The goal is to at least make some people register to vote.”

The student, who connected with MBK through district initiatives led by Youth Development Specialist Brother Arthur Muhammad, explained that the presentation was part of a larger student-driven project aimed at increasing civic engagement among young people across Mount Vernon schools.

Mr. Crump, a member of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s transition team who previously served as Director of Constituent Services under Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard, guided students through the structure of government and their role within it.

He broke down key civic concepts, including representative democracy, political parties and the three branches of government, encouraging students to connect what they learn in class to real-life participation.

“In America, our system of government is a representative democracy,” Mr. Crump explained. “A democracy is where the people have the power to vote… You vote for representatives to represent you in government, and they make the policies.”

He also clarified common misconceptions between systems of government and political parties, noting that terms like “Republican” and “Democrat” refer to political groups, not the structure of government itself.

Throughout the presentation, students actively engaged with questions about government roles, identifying leaders at the local, state and national levels while discussing how laws are created and enforced.

Mr. Crump emphasized that participation in elections is essential to ensuring that the government reflects the people it serves.

“Because if you’re not making your voice heard in choosing the representatives to make the laws … somebody else is,” he said. “And if your voice is left out, you’ll end up with a city, a state, a country that doesn’t reflect the views you hold important to you.”

The session also included a hands-on component, with students completing anonymous surveys designed by Leonard to better understand barriers to voter registration among young people.

Teachers distributed the surveys, which asked students to reflect on factors that might prevent someone from registering or participating in elections.
Students who are eligible were also provided with voter registration information, including guidance on pre-registering at age 16 and registering online at 18 through the DMV.

Mr. Crump said he was encouraged by the students’ level of engagement.

“I was happy that the kids already had a good base of civic knowledge,” he said. “The level and the depth is where we’re trying to get them to. There are kids who are already thinking about this process.”

The presentation highlighted the work of Mount Vernon’s My Brother’s Keeper program, a national initiative launched under Barack Obama to support young men of color through mentorship, leadership development and academic support.

In Mount Vernon, MBK connects students with mentors and provides opportunities to lead projects that impact their school community — such as Leonard’s effort to promote civic participation.

Students in MBK – who are selected based on their grades and community involvement – meet weekly to discuss leadership, advocacy and community service. After completing the program, students are eligible for a $1,500 stipend to support their continued education. 

By the end of the session, students left with a clearer understanding of how government works and a stronger sense that their voices matter.

For Leonard, that impact is exactly the goal.

“Basically, we just talk to them to promote them,” he said, “and the goal is to at least make some people vote at the end of the day.”