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NextGen Roundtable: America 250

A growing initiative to honor the Semiquincentennial of the United States through deliberative dialogue.

Examine the issues of today by better understanding our past. 

In 2026, to mark the Semiquincentennial of the United States, Close Up—supported by the U.S. Department of Education—launched NextGen Roundtable: America 250, a growing initiative to encourage a deeper understanding of our constitutional republic and its guiding principles.

Together with the Stanford University Deliberative Democracy Lab and our university partners nationwide, we are engaging high school students and educators through classroom curriculum, online seminars with historians and thought leaders, professional development training, and regional and national deliberative events. The goal? To equip students to carry out the deliberative processes of democracy as envisioned by America’s founders.

 

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What is NextGen Roundtable: America 250?

This initiative engages high school students in thoughtful conversations about our founding principles, political values, and modern policy issues. We do this through:

  • Curriculum: Our free, four-week curricular unit, “Cornerstones of American Democracy,” is now available to high school educators.
  • Webinars: Beginning in spring, we will host and make available a series of online seminars exploring American political values with historians and thought leaders.
  • Regional Deliberations: To connect American political values and principles to current policy issues, we are hosting four regional student deliberations per year in select cities, each in cooperation with a university partner.
  • Regional PD: As students take part in the regional deliberations, Close Up will conduct a parallel PD experience for educator chaperones around civil discourse and deliberation.
  • National Deliberation: We will convene 400 first-time voters at NextGen Roundtable: Decision 2026 in D.C. to deliberate key policy issues ahead of the midterm elections.

 

Get Involved in NextGen Roundtable: America 250

 

Curriculum & Resources

Our free NextGen Roundtable: America 250 four-week curriculum unit is now available! Learn More >

Regional Deliberations & Professional Development

See if Close Up is coming to your region this year! Learn More >

NextGen Roundtable: Decision 2026

Participate in a historic deliberation of pressing national issues ahead of the midterm elections.  Learn More >

About the Partners 

About Close Up
About the Stanford University Deliberative Democracy Lab
About Generation Lab
About the Hoover Institution's Center for Revitalizing American Institutions
  • Join our growing initiative to honor America’s 250th birthday through curriculum, PD, and student deliberation.