Meyer Levin Junior High School (JHS 285) made history this January by launching a groundbreaking Student Government Association (SGA) modeled after New York City’s municipal government, giving students an immersive, real-world civics experience rarely seen at the middle school level.
The formal inauguration ceremony, held on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, marked a major milestone in a 12-week civic engagement partnership between the school and the Brooklyn Advisory Group.
More than 140 students participated in the initiative, which reimagined traditional student government by introducing elected positions such as Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, and Borough Presidents representing each grade level.
Under the leadership of Principal Jamie Hendrickson, students ran full-scale campaigns that mirrored New York City’s electoral process. Campaigns included forming teams, developing platforms, conducting outreach, designing communications materials, participating in public debates, and voting using the city’s ranked-choice voting system.
“This program was about moving civics from a textbook concept into a lived experience,by modeling real municipal government, students were able to see themselves as leaders, decision-makers, and active participants in democracy,” said Khari Edwards, a Brooklyn community leader and principal with Brooklyn Advisory Group.
Edwards, a lifelong Brooklyn resident, former healthcare executive, and two-time candidate for Brooklyn Borough President, said the idea for the program—called Lead the Change: An Interactive Journey into Civics—grew out of his own experiences in politics and community advocacy.
“I’ve run for office twice and been part of many election cycles,” Edwards said. “What I realized is that while there is excitement around elections, something is missing. Our younger generation and many in our minority communities hear titles like Public Advocate and Comptroller, but don’t know who those leaders are, what they do, and how their decisions affect their schools, families, and futures.”
That gap in civic understanding, Edwards noted, often extends beyond students to parents, families, and even educators.
“If people don’t know about the leaders, they definitely don’t know what those leaders do,” he said.
Early in the school year, Edwards and his partner, Lance Skinner, approached Principal Hendrickson with a bold proposal: to “turn student government upside down.” With her support, the school replaced traditional roles such as president, vice president, and treasurer with real local government positions that impact families every day.
Students running for office were required to build campaign teams. Each candidate interviewed and selected peers to serve as campaign managers, communications directors, and field directors—roles designed to highlight organization, creativity, public speaking, and grassroots engagement.
“For some students, this was the first time someone said, ‘I see the leadership in you,’” Edwards said.
Throughout the 12-week program, students practiced 30-second stump speeches, conducted classroom “door knocking,” designed posters and palm cards, and filled the school with civic energy. Election-style debates were held with student panels, and petitions were drafted advocating for issues ranging from school uniform policies to expanding eligibility for younger students to run for office.
“The building became alive with democracy,” Edwards said.
The inauguration ceremony drew prominent city officials who participated in the historic swearing-in, underscoring the importance of early civic education. Among those in attendance were New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, City Comptroller Mark Levine, Council Member and Education Committee Chair Rita Joseph, Council Member Farah Louis, and Jahmila Edwards, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Mayor’s Office.
During the program period, Council Member Joseph broke down the city’s multimillion-dollar education budget for students, illustrating how policy decisions translate into real support for schools. Faculty members noted that they, too, were learning alongside students throughout the process.
A significant milestone of the ceremony was the election of Victoria Mompoint as Meyer Levin’s first student mayor, making her the first female mayor in the school’s history.
“Watching these students step into leadership with confidence and purpose was inspiring,” They are already modeling the future of New York City’s leadership, said council member Farah Louis.
The newly sworn-in Student Government Association includes: Mayor: Victoria Mompoint; Public Advocate: Taliah Scott; Comptroller: Britney Simeon; 6th Grade Borough President: Aubrey Anderson; 7th Grade Borough President: Chloe Cousins; 8th Grade Borough President: Maleah Malone and Deputy Borough Presidents: Elijah Cunningham and Chelsea Tous
The SGA will now serve as the representative voice for students, working on school initiatives, student welfare, and community betterment. Organizers say the program also strengthened leadership, communication, organization, and civic responsibility among participants.
“I share all of this to say one thing,” Edwards told the audience. “The curiosity is there. The desire to lead is already there. It just needs to be nurtured.”
The program is now active in five schools across Brooklyn, with plans to expand further in 2026.
“For us, this work is about impact,” Edwards said. “It’s about building informed, confident leaders who understand their power and their responsibility to community.”
For Principal Hendrickson, the impact is already visible.
“Our students didn’t just learn about government,” she said. “They practiced it. They learned accountability, collaboration, and the power of their voices.”
As student leaders took their oaths of office, the message was clear: with the right guidance and opportunity, Brooklyn’s next generation of civic leaders is already stepping forward.
