Celebrating The Founding Members Young Voices Council Graduation
- Lisa Giuliani
- Jun 23
- 3 min read
Saturday, July 26th marks a pivotal moment in futures education as we celebrate the graduation of the first cohort of Teach the Future Young Voices Council (YVC) Members
A Year of Futures Thinking
The Teach the Future Young Voices Council brought together brilliant minds from twenty-five countries, united by a shared mission to bring Futures Literacy to K–12 education worldwide. These aren't just students. They are pioneers, futurists, and changemakers who have dedicated themselves to reshaping how we prepare young people for an ever-changing world.
Voices of Impact: What Our Graduates Say
The true measure of any program lies in the voices of those who experienced it. As we approached our final session with Dr. Peter Bishop, our Young Voices Council members shared their heartfelt reflections on their journey.
Reflections from Our Graduates
"Before this experience, I didn’t even know what futures thinking was. I thought the future was something that would just happen on its own. But your sessions taught me that the future isn’t something we wait for it’s something we can anticipate, shape, and act on. Learning tools like systems thinking, scenario planning, and the STEEP model helped all of us begin to see the future differently." - Sahasra Kuppala
"I’m extremely proud that the Young Voices Council has been awarded the Amplify Grant. Being a founding member of this team has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. I’m also excited to share that my friend Neev and I received a separate Amplify Grant for our solar still project, and we’re using what we learned to scale it. Thank you to Teach the Future for opening these doors for us." - Ayush Sankaran
"Thank you to the entire team and community for creating such a supportive space. This journey has truly inspired me. I’ve learned so much from how to improve myself to how to apply futures thinking to real projects. Dr. Bishop’s wisdom helped us move from uncertainty to clarity, and now I feel confident about what futures literacy really means." - Stacy Achen
"This last year has been absolutely amazing. Being part of the Young Voices Council was such a powerful experience, surrounded by passionate peers and engaging in meaningful discussions that pushed me to grow." - Shioboliny Bhattacharjee
"One of the best parts of this journey was being part of a global community of like-minded peers. It made me feel connected, supported, and encouraged to keep working toward a better future." - Vrishank Sai
Real-World Impact
Our graduates have already begun applying futures literacy in impactful ways:
"My project was recently shortlisted by Action for Nature, and I had the chance to speak in an interview about future literacy as a life skill. Many of the questions were directly related to what we discussed in our breakout rooms during YVC sessions. I’m deeply grateful to Teach the Future for this opportunity it helped me grow both personally and professionally." - Bibhuti Bhattarai
"The STEEP model was a game-changer for my project, Linguadivide, which addresses English-language barriers in South Asia. Dr. Bishop’s guidance changed how I see the future—not just as something to predict but something we can envision and design. The YVC culture taught me that mistakes are stepping stones to innovation. I’m now committed to integrating futures thinking into education across Pakistan." - Urwa Naveed
A Global Movement
Our founding members represent more than individual success stories. They embody a global movement. These young leaders are:
Futurists who think critically about tomorrow's challenges and solutions
Visionaries committed to advancing Futures Literacy on a global scale
Collaborators driving innovative educational solutions in their local communities
Changemakers using their unique perspectives to influence global education policy
What's Next?
As we mark this graduation on Saturday, July 26th, we’re not simply closing a chapter we’re setting the stage for what comes next. Many of these graduates will continue on as Young Voices Council leaders, helping guide and mentor the next cohort of youth futurists.
Applications are now open for the upcoming YVC class, and these alumni will play a key role in recruiting, supporting, and shaping the experience for the new members.
We invite you to celebrate with us as we recognize this first group of pioneering young leaders students who are not only prepared for the future, but are already helping to shape it.
