PA Humanities Announces 22 Sites Selected for 2024-2026 Youth-Led Humanities Cohort

PA Humanities is excited to announce the selection of 22 public libraries and out-of-school time (OST) organizations to participate in the 2024-2026 Youth-Led Humanities Cohort. These sites, representing both rural and urban communities across the state, have demonstrated a strong commitment to fostering youth leadership and engagement through the humanities.

“Young people have valuable insights and creative ideas that can profoundly impact their communities for the better,” said Julia Katz, Education Programs Manager at PA Humanities. “By centering youth voice through the humanities, we’re not only empowering young people but also enriching the cultural and civic life of Pennsylvania.”

Each selected site has access to $5,000 to support projects and activities that reflect the interests and needs of young people. Participants will also gain access to professional development opportunities, including individualized coaching, community of practice meetings, and workshops led by library leaders and humanities professionals.

This is the second cohort of PA Humanities’ Youth-Led Humanities programming, and 12 of the 22 sites are returning. Katz said that many of the sites who participated in the last cohort began to think about youth-led programming in a new way, and that she saw a great deal of growth in their applications this round in thinking about creative ways to engage youth and what inclusive humanities programming can look like. 

Additionally, the OST sites participating this year include theater and arts organizations that use the humanities in reflective practices, and Katz is excited to see what these organizations can teach libraries and vice versa as they come together in a community of practice. 

“I see a group that’s already really demonstrated that they not only see the benefit of humanities programming for young people, but also how youth can benefit the humanities and their communities,” she said.

Some of the organizations are focused on building physical spaces, especially within libraries, where young people will feel like they belong. Others plan to create new weekly teen clubs, focus programming on neurodivergent participants and enhancing Social Emotional Learning skills, continue their current groups, including the Teen Reading Lounge program that’s long been a part of PA Humanities’ core programming, and reach teens who may not yet be involved in library and OST programs. 

“We are excited to work and learn alongside these dedicated organizations and their powerful young people,” added Katz. “Together, we’ll create inclusive spaces where youth can explore who they are and how they can impact their communities.”

2024-2026 Youth-Led Humanities Cohort:

1. Abington Community Library (Clarks Summit)
2. B.F. Jones Memorial Library (Aliquippa)
3. Bloomsburg Public Library (Bloomsburg)
4. Brandywine Community Library (Topton)
5. Cambria County Library Association (Johnstown)
6. Cleve J. Fredricksen Library (Camp Hill)
7. Erie Center for Arts & Technology (Erie)
8. Free Library of Philadelphia – Greater Olney Branch (Philadelphia)
9. Greensburg Hempfield Area Library (Greensburg)
10. Indiana Free Library (Indiana)
11. Lower Macungie Library (Macungie)
12. Mighty Writers (Philadelphia)
13. Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library (Norristown)
14. New Castle Public Library (New Castle)
15. Priestley Forsyth Memorial Library (Northumberland)
16. Raymond M. Blasco, M.D. Memorial Library – Erie County Public Library (Erie)
17. Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial (Philadelphia)
18. Sayre Public Library (Sayre)
19. SLB Radio Productions, Inc. (Pittsburgh)
20. Theatre Horizon (Norristown)
21. Tredyffrin Township Libraries (Strafford)
22. Upper Darby Township and Sellers Memorial Free Public Library (Upper Darby)

About the Youth-Led Humanities Program

Building on nearly 15 years of experience with Teen Reading Lounge, the Youth-Led Humanities program supports organizations in creating spaces of belonging that uplift young people through the humanities. The program focuses on cultivating youth leadership, fostering inclusive environments, and promoting equity. By providing high-quality programming that reflects young people’s interests and needs, the initiative leverages the humanities to nurture growth, encourage civic engagement, and inspire positive change among youth across Pennsylvania.

Youth-Led Humanities is a program of PA Humanities developed and supported in part by federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds administered by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries with additional support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, individual donors and other funders.

For More Information

For additional details about the Youth-Led Humanities program or to learn more about PA Humanities, please contact Julia Katz, Education Programs Manager, at jkatz@pahumanities.org