Notre Dame alum is helping to get at-risk youth more involved with civics and problem-solving in their communities.
At a competition held Dec. 8 in Washington, D.C., for young people who get up on personal “soapboxes” and discuss pressing matters in their own inner-city communities, topics such as the war on drugs, lack of quality schools, and gentrification were brought to the fore for those in attendance.
The mostly high school students presenting to the packed conference room at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in D.C. were part of the city’s first-ever Mikva Challenge—a speech tournament named after former Chicago Rep. Abner J. Mikva designed to get young people more politically engaged.
The challenge began as an “action civics” project in 1997 in Chicago as a tribute to former White House counsel, judge, and U.S. Congressman Mikva.
‘From the textbook to the field’
Among the supporters who thought Chicago’s Mikva Challenge could also work in Washington, D.C., is former U.S. Congressman and Notre Dame alum David Bonior (’63), who grew up in the Detroit area and now resides in D.C. Bonior served in the U.S. House with Mikva for a number of years.
“The Mikva Challenge is a program for young men and women who may be at-risk, and encourages them to take a more active role in civics and community problem-solving to increase the youth voice in local decision-making,” Bonior said in a recent phone interview with Notre Dame’s alumni office.
In addition to the classwork that these young people typically get in school, Bonior said the Mikva program also takes them from the textbook to the field, and shows them the work they could—and should—be doing in their communities.
“It’s totally non-partisan,” Bonior said. “In fact, a group of young people from D.C. will be heading to work at the Iowa caucuses, which are held next year on February 1 for members of both the Democratic and Republican parties.”
Bonior said he is especially interested in the Project Soapbox aspect of the Mikva Challenge, which specifically helps teens develop communication skills—such as persuasive writing, issue research, and compelling delivery—that are critical to a young person’s ability to ‘get on a soapbox’ and become an advocate for pressing community issues.
“We work with these kids and prepare them for competition where speeches are usually done in five minutes or less, usually around two minutes,” he said.
New book in the works
Bonior also has been busy “with the grandkids” and with his fifth book, a followup memoir to "Eastside Kid: A Memoir of My Youth, From Detroit to Congress," which was a recollection of his coming of age in working class southeast Michigan prior to his ascent to become the second highest ranked member of the U.S. House of Representatives as Democratic whip, a position he held for 11 years.
The new memoir, he said, will cover his congressional career in Washington. Asked about a possible title for the upcoming book, Bonior said he is considering “Whip,” appropriately enough.
Bonior also said he still keeps himself busy as part owner of Agua 301, an eatery in D.C. that he opened a couple of years ago with his stepson and daughter-in-law.
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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." The Marist Fathers and Brothers sponsor NDPMA's Catholic identity and manages its educational program. Notre Dame is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.