Students across the country are feeling the effects of a rapidly changing world—from the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on their lives and learning environments, to widespread uprisings in response to ongoing systemic racism. This discussion guide offers topical discussion questions focused on the issues that young people have identified as priorities at this moment in time. Our hope is that this guide can be used by school, district, out-of-school time, and other community leaders or youth-supporting adults who wish to partner with young people in their communities to better understand their experiences with issues that matter to them. The four discussion topics presented in this guide are:

1) Navigating the COVID-19 Pandemic;
2) Race and Racism;
3) Virtual and Blended Learning; and
4) Communicating across Ideological Differences.