Students Across Chicago Collaborate On Bold Solutions To Global Challenges

CHICAGO, March 8, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Aspen Challenge—a program of the Aspen Institute founded in partnership with the Bezos Family Foundation—has teamed up with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to implement the second Aspen Challenge: Washington DC with students and educators from 20 high schools throughout the city. The Aspen Challenge begins with a daylong youth leadership development forum where teams of students and teachers will hear from leaders pioneering change to some of the world's most pressing issues. Leading industry experts will present a challenge, urging the students to create an innovative solution. The program culminates on April 27 when teams will present their solutions to a panel of judges. Three winning teams will head to the Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen, CO to present their work.

WHO: Challenge participants include 20 high school teams of eight students ranging from grades nine through twelve, a teacher (the coach for the program), and the school's principal—more than 200 participants from Chicago Public Schools.

FEATURING: Brian Bannon, commissioner and CEO, Chicago Public Library
Chancelor Bennett, "Chance the Rapper," hip-hop recording artist
Arne Duncan, former US Secretary of Education
Eric Dawson, American professional basketball player
John Lewis, US Representative, Georgia and prominent civil rights leader
Jessica O. Matthews, inventor and entrepreneur
Daniel Rogers, COO, Moneythink
Micae Brown, host, WVON
And more! For the complete list of presenters visit aspenchallenge.org

WHEN: March 9, 2016 | 8am – 8pm

WHERE: Soldier Field
1410 Museum Campus Drive
Chicago, IL 60605               

RSVP: If you are a member of the media who wishes to attend please RSVP to Douglas Farrar at [email protected].

The Aspen Challenge provides inspiration and a platform for young people to design solutions to some of the most critical and complex issues humanity faces. For more information, please visit www.aspentchallenge.org or www.facebook.com/TheAspenChallenge. 

The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.

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SOURCE The Aspen Institute