Citywide Youth Council

Mikva Challenge's Citywide Youth Councils (CYCs) are policy councils in Chicago where high school students in 9th through 11th grade help shape city policy. Each council brings together about 20 to 25 young people from across the city. Members build teamwork and leadership skills, research issues, and present policy proposals to decision makers in city government. The current councils are the CPS Student Advisory Council (SAC) and the Safety and Justice Council (SJC). SAC members work directly with the CPS Chief Executive Officer and the Chicago Board of Education on education policy. SJC looks at public safety and justice topics such as juvenile justice, police accountability, and restorative justice. In the summer, councils meet 20 hours a week for six weeks between June and August. During the school year, they meet every other week after school or on a Saturday. Members get public transit assistance and lunch on session days.

Open to current 9th-11th graders who live in Chicago; the Safety and Justice Council is the only council open to Cook County residents who live outside Chicago. For the summer 2026 cycle, applicants had to be between 16 and 22 years old by July 1, 2026. Students apply through Mikva Challenge's online youth program application, and a staff member follows up about eligibility.