FAQs

• Private Foundations
• Publicly-funded Grants & Underwriting
• Corporate & Individual Contributions
• NYS BOCES Co-Ser Program Eligibility
• In-kind Donations

Total Students: 150

• New York State regions served: CNY, WNY, Rochester-area, Southern Tier and Capital District
• Priority: 10th & 11th graders representing a diverse student population

• 30 students per region (usually 5 per high school )

• $410

Starting 2023:

• 50% of program cost/student covered by 1st Amendment-1st Vote, Inc
• Districts participating via a BOCES CoSer program: depends on aid ratio; cost gap covered by 1st A-1st V, Inc.
• Student transportation to/from program venues.
• Staff substitute per diem for chaperone release time
• NO COST to participating students and their families

Each high school recruits and selects participants. 

1st A-1st V recommends a diverse group of students who:

• demonstrate leadership, in some way.
• demonstrate positive, personal characteristics that are representative of her high school.

• Program covers a calendar year
• 30 minute in-school orientation meeting with program facilitator (prior to Seminar)
• Full-day instructional SEMINAR (off-site, Feb, March or April)
• FIELD TRIP: historic Seneca Falls, Birthplace of Women's Rights in America (Sept)
• Two-day LEADERSHIP ACTION SUMMIT (October/venue TBD; overnight stay in Buffalo-area)

YES, including one overnight stay in Buffalo area in October. See above for

expected attendance.

NYS Social Studies Standards address: Foundations of American Democracy; Civil Rights and Civil Liberties; Rights, Responsibilities and Duties of Citizenship; Political and Civic Participation; and, Public Policy....all of which are built into 1st Amendment-1st Vote's program content. Program content is presented via the instructional SEMINAR, FIELD TRIP visit to Historic Seneca Falls, and Leadership ACTION Summit where students finalize and present their school-level ACTION PLAN for REAL CHANGE in their home schools; and, engage in a simulation addressing strategic campaign roles for a local elected office including the "candidate's" 3-minute stump speech focusing on a local environmental or civic rights "hot button" issue. 

YES...opportunities may vary from year-to-year, such as:

• Serve on 1st Amendment-1 st Vote, Inc Board of Directors as its student representative
• Serve a volunteer internship at Women's Rights National Historical Park or Erie County Commission on the Status of Women, or other related affiliation
• Recruit one classmate for following year's program...and/or serve as a program presenter
• Volunteer in her community on a Presidential, Congressional or local candidate's 2020 campaign
• Program Ambassador 

Download or view our Strategic Action Plan 2021-2025 HERE