Teen Dialogue Information
Be part of a national conversation where YOUR Voice Matters
Participants age 14-19, March-April 2026
The North Liberty Library is one of ten libraries nationwide to be selected to participate in the Teen Dialogue Accelerator, a program where your ideas shape the conversation and your voice carries. The project is available through collaboration with Cortico, MIT Center for Constructive Communication, and PBS Frontline.
What’s the Teen Dialogue Accelerator Project?
This project is the opportunity for our teen voices to be heard on topics that matter most to you. No adults saying what should be discussed or how it should be discussed. Only authentic conversations with others about the issues, ideas, and futures you care about.
And your conversations don’t just stay in North Liberty. Highlights from our conversations will be shared both locally and nationally through a partnership with PBS Frontline, helping communities across the country understand what you really think.
What To Expect
The library will be hosting 5-10 sessions throughout March and April, currently scheduled for:
- Saturday, March 28th
- Thursday, April 2nd
- Tuesday, April 7th
- Saturday, April 11th
- Tuesday, April 21st
**More dates may be added if needed. Each session requires at least 4 participants so a session with fewer may be cancelled or postponed. **
What happens at each session:
- Small group conversations (4-8 people) in a comfortable session
- Each session lasts approximately 1 hour to 90 minutes (depending on how much you want to say)
- Conversations facilitated by youth project partner
- You choose the topics
- Food and Refreshments provided
- Participation incentive bag!
Release Information
(For participants age 14-17: A parent or guardian must complete the consent portion of the registration form)
What you’re consenting to:
- Teen participation in audio-recorded group conversations.
- Use of First Name identification in recordings
- Educational and media use of recordings by the North Liberty Library, Cortico, MIT CCC, and PBS Frontline.
- Topics chosen by participants themselves
- Participation is completely voluntary
Questions?
Contact Nick Shimmin at nshmmin@northlibertyiowa.org or by phone at 319-626-5781