Secretary Pate recognizes Iowans for exemplary commited to civic engagement within the state

DES MOINES - Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate has recognized three Iowans for their meaningful commitment to their communities and civic engagement. The awards support Secretary Pate's efforts to encourage civic engagement, voter education, and participation in elections and civic processes among Iowans and are part of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) national award program.

Each year, secretaries of state around the nation award up to two individuals in their state the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award, which honors Congressman John Lewis and his extraordinary accomplishments.

The award recognizes gifted, civic-minded young people with demonstrated leadership abilities and the commitment to bringing about authentic change in their communities. Iowa's 2024 honorees include:

• Hadley Harvey, a Roosevelt High School senior in Des Moines, Iowa, leads the Des Moines Youth Advisory Board and State of Iowa Youth Advisory Council. She's actively engaged in community service, hosted voter registration drives, and holds leadership roles within Jack and Jill of America Inc. and her school's Student Leadership Collective.
• Reem Kirja, a senior at Iowa City West High School, is a Top 10 Under 25 Youth Changemaker of the Year and has been recognized with multiple human rights and innovation awards. She has advocated for religious and cultural holidays as school days off, leads Model United Nations, and founded the West Student Fund to support student participation.

• "When I meet with Iowa's next generation, I like to remind them that they are not only leaders of tomorrow, but leaders of today. Hadley and Reem are true examples of this," said Secretary Pate. "These two honorees join the ranks of hundreds of young leaders across the nation who have made significant contributions to their communities and inspired their peers to follow in their footsteps."

  The NASS Medallion Award allows individual secretaries of state to honor individuals and organizations with an established record of promoting voter education and participation, civic education, service to state, and a commitment to philanthropic giving.

  Secretary Pate recently awarded the NASS Medallion to Jack Vanderflught, a dedicated educator at Dallas Center-Grimes and tireless advocate for civic education in Iowa. Through his classroom teaching, Vanderflught has inspired countless students to become engaged and informed citizens. Beyond the classroom, Vanderflught has been instrumental in helping the Iowa Secretary of State's office update and improve the Elections 101 curriculum, designed to provide Iowa teachers with the tools they need to educate their students on Iowa elections and civic involvement.

  "Getting Iowa's young people involved in democracy early creates lifelong voters and engaged citizens. Jack's engaging classroom leadership has sparked this civic enthusiasm in countless students," said Secretary Pate. "His valuable updates to our Elections 101 curriculum, now used across the state, have helped even more students discover the importance of civic participation and build a foundation for civic engagement throughout their lifetimes."

  A photo of the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award ceremony is available for your use here.

  A soundbite from Secretary Pate on the John Lewis Youth Leadership awardees is available here.

  A photo of the NASS Medallion ceremony is available for your use here.

  A soundbite from Secretary Pate on the NASS Medallion awardee is available here.

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