The term “student activism” might make some think about being on student council or running a school club, which are both great. But student activism can look lots of different ways, and can be integrated into the assignments you already have for school.
Doing a school paper or project about a topic you aren’t passionate about can feel like “busy work.” When you’re able to incorporate what you care about and believe in into your class assignments, not only will you probably enjoy your homework more and learn about something important to you, it will also allow you to educate your teacher and classmates about issues you care about! Even better if the assignment is part of a presentation, where more people will learn about your issue.
Whether it’s a book report, a class presentation, a creative writing assignment, or an art project, using your required class assignments as a means to educate others is a form of activism that doesn’t require extra time on your part, doesn’t cost any money, and it’s also a great way to become an even more well-informed expert on an issue you care about.
Most issues have nonprofit organizations whose major purpose is to educate the public about a social problem, so find organizations working on an issue of importance to you and read about their work, and even contact them if needed. As with any assignment, be sure your information is accurate and from reputable sources.
Using your assignments as a platform to educate people (including yourself!) about social problems is easy student activism that will ensure that your classmates and teachers will be learning about something that they might never have learned and give them a greater opportunity to do something about it.