BRINGING CIVICS TO A NEW GENERATION OF STUDENTS

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Mayas Smith. Read his story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

Mayas Smith always had an interest in government, but he wanted to share that passion with younger generations. Through the magic of volunteerism, his mission became a reality. As a high school freshman, Mayas began volunteering at a local elementary school where he taught the students about government. Now a senior in high school, his passion for civics has blossomed into so much more.

Mayas is the founder of Young Citizens Academy, a student-led, global initiative inspiring civic engagement among youth. Whether he’s running interactive civics workshops or continuing his work inside elementary school classrooms, Mayas shares his passion for civics in a way that’s relatable for younger populations. In one second grade classroom, he had the students create their own class flag based on their values of friendship and respect. He also taught them how elections work by having the students vote on a Dr. Seuss book to read using an anonymous process. His diligence has been a tremendous success; since establishing Young Citizens Academy, Mayas has expanded the organization to 60 chapters in 24 states within the United States and nine countries. Over 7,000 individuals have been reached through his mission to improve civic literacy.

Mayas estimates that he dedicates 40 hours per month to his role with Young Citizens Academy, which is a heavy task with his heavy high school courseload. As he prepares to head off to college next year, he’s hoping to study political science and history, either in his home state of Michigan or on the East Coast. But no matter where he ends up, Mayas is determined to bring the Young Citizens Academy along with him so he can continue to support younger generations by educating them in the world of civics. His passion for the topic is a testament to just how far we can go as volunteers when we’re dedicated to the endeavor.

What inspires you to volunteer?

I see improving civics education as pivotal to preparing future generations of leaders from my community and communities oceans away. I’ve noticed a lack of emphasis on this specific topic in schools. Even if I could only change minds in just one elementary school, I would see it as a major win in uplifting our future society. I hope to continue Young Citizens Academy for this reason in the years ahead, so that this movement’s collective positive impact will only increase.

Tell us about your volunteer role with Young Citizens Academy.

For four years, I have been leading the Young Citizens Academy in its mission to promote civic education, both locally and worldwide. It began in my freshman year of high school as a volunteer project with my brother, and it grew into the thriving organization it is today through the diligent work of an amazing team of volunteers across Michigan, the United States and abroad. In terms of what we do at any given chapter, we run civics workshops and school outreach, and we initiate government-oriented student organizations.

What inspired you to get started with this initiative?

I have been interested in civics from a very young age. When I had the chance to teach a second grade class about something while volunteering at a local elementary school, it was the first topic that came to mind. I had been reading a lot about the upcoming presidential election, and the first lesson I ever taught involving civics was about how elections work, as demonstrated by having a vote on which Dr Seuss book I would read aloud to the class.

After I had made a significant local impact, I reached out to other civically minded students from around the state to invite them to start Young Citizens Academy chapters at their respective schools. From there, our success allowed us to balloon into a national and international organization by connecting with leaders beyond just Michigan’s borders. In total, we now have chapters in 24 states and nine countries across five of the world’s continents.

What are your long-term plans or goals for the organization?

I’m a high school senior right now. In college, I seek to expand the reach of Young Citizens Academy by adapting to university-level civic education needs, which is obviously a lot higher level civics than what I’ve been teaching to second graders. I am confident that we can become even stronger as an organization, and can build even greater support among students while on college campuses for the first time.

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?

The most rewarding part of Young Citizens Academy is when I’m in the classroom teaching students about government. It is something I have been passionate about for a very long time, and I can only hope that I inspire the same interest in others to pursue it. I’m glad to have set up the necessary networks for other students across the globe to start their own Young Citizens Academy chapters. I think that is great, to have it in as many countries and states as we do. But my greatest satisfaction always comes from leaving a school having brought a class of students up to speed on that day’s engaging topic surrounding civics. I’d say I take the most pride in actually going to the classrooms myself and tangibly making a difference in my local community.

What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?

I’ve learned that more individuals than you likely realize share your passions. Even though Young Citizens Academy connected me with a bunch of different students from around the world with very diverse backgrounds, it just so happened that we all shared the commonality of being interested in civics. If not for volunteering, I would not have met such an amazing group of people.

Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about?

Being involved in something you care about is one of the most fulfilling ways for you to make an impact on the world. If you care about it, you will always go one thousand times further and make a much more meaningful difference in whatever you’re doing. If you don’t get involved in what you care about, then you shouldn’t really expect anyone else to either. You have to take control of both your own life to do what you care about, but also you have to take control of what you care about. I cared about civic education in my community and I took charge in leading a push to make sure that civic education is something emphasized now in schools across Michigan, across the US and in places around the world.

Any advice for people who want to start volunteering?

The first step is always the hardest, but once you make it, you never need to look back. You should make the most of every opportunity, and don’t be afraid to take risks. Failure is inevitable, but in a way, it’s also required for you to ever appreciate what true success feels like.

What do you want people to learn from your story?

Once you volunteer with whatever cause you’re passionate about, so many new doors will open up to you. So to any other high schoolers out there who have an interest in whatever it may be, government or something else, feel free to go out there and actually initiate a project on your own. One of the major issues getting started was that whenever I would tell people about Young Citizens Academy, the first thing they would ask me was whether it was Republican or Democrat. I would always have to explain to them that it’s neither. It’s supposed to be a totally non-partisan initiative to improve civic education. A lot of people thought it was a crime to not take a side in 2025, but it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done, because I got to meet people from so many different perspectives and take it so much further than if I had remained closed-minded. If I hadn’t taken that initial step to include everyone in my organization, then maybe Young Citizens Academy wouldn’t have even left my high school.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Mayas? Find local volunteer opportunities.