Catalyst for Systems Change celebrates a year of youth-driven policy wins

At Catalyst for Systems Change, the goal isn’t to invest in youth. It’s to invest through youth.

The organization believes young people don’t need to be given a voice. They already have one. What they need is for adults to listen.

On the evening of July 9, leaders from Catalyst for Systems Change joined local legislators and youth advocates to celebrate the organization’s public policy successes over the past year.

Among the group’s biggest accomplishments was helping secure a legislative study of Minnesota’s Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program.

PSEO allows high school students to take college courses and earn both high school and college credit at no cost. Since the program began in 1985, participation has grown dramatically. Today, some Minnesota high schools have a majority of their juniors and seniors enrolled in PSEO courses, with some students attending college full time.

PSEO was identified as the top legislative priority during Minnesota’s 2026 session.

When Catalyst students, many of them PSEO participants themselves, studied the program, they found that two out of three Minnesota high schools were not fully complying with state PSEO implementation requirements. As a result, school websites often contain incomplete or inaccurate information, making it difficult for students to understand or access the program.

Schools also face challenges with PSEO. Because students enrolled in full-time PSEO are not counted in the same way for per-pupil funding, districts can lose state revenue. Enrollment numbers are often uncertain while school budgets are being developed, leaving districts vulnerable to unexpected funding shortfalls.

Some educators have also raised concerns about course quality and communication. PSEO courses may be offered in person, online or in hybrid formats. Differences between college and K-12 privacy laws can make it difficult for schools and parents to monitor students’ progress throughout the semester. In some cases, families may not learn that a student has failed a required course until final grades are released.

For students, however, the benefits can be significant. PSEO offers the opportunity to earn college credits, or even complete an associate degree, without paying tuition, reducing one of the biggest financial barriers to higher education. Even students who do not complete a full degree can enter college with credits already earned, potentially graduating earlier and with less debt.

Beyond the financial benefits, students say the program gives them greater ownership over their education.

State Sen. Clare Verbeten, DFL-St. Cloud, participated in PSEO as a student herself. One course in particular has stayed with her: “In the Heart of the Beat: The Poetry of Rap.”

“It was about studying rap and the music, the culture, the artists, what they mean to our community, how they’ve, you know, pushed for change,” Verbeten said. “It was just really exciting to me. As a music lover and rap lover, I was like, ‘Wait, I can take a class about this?’ That’s something you get the opportunity to do in college.”

For Verbeten, youth leadership is essential.

“We as legislators should get out of the way and let them lead,” she said.

Catalyst also celebrated its role in helping pass HF 2023, which requires overdose prevention education in Minnesota schools.

Rep. Nolan West, R-Blaine, the bill’s chief author, emphasized that the legislation was driven by young people. While he introduced the bill, he said youth advocates were “the ones who truly moved the bill through the process.”

He encouraged students in attendance to “never wait your turn.”

“It will never be ‘your time,'” West said. “Just go and do it.”

Another milestone was the organization’s 2026 Capitol Advocacy Days. Several participating students later testified before members of Congress. The group also advocated for more than $320 million in housing investments.

Rep. Duane Quam, R-Byron, said it is essential that young people “take a seat at the table” and actively participate in democracy.

Throughout the evening, the spotlight remained on the students.

Many speakers reflected that, only a year earlier, public speaking had been one of their greatest fears. Today, they are testifying before lawmakers, meeting with elected officials and helping shape public policy.

Student speaker Samia Mohamud described traveling to Washington, D.C., to speak before members of Congress about the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. She was the only Minnesotan there.

“When you fail to quit,” Mohamud said, “that’s when you will rise.”

Many students reflected on how much they had learned about the legislative process or about their own ability to influence it. Several said they never imagined they would stand on the Senate floor or advocate for legislation without the encouragement they found through Catalyst.

Chief Clerk of the Minnesota House Pat Murphy has long been involved with youth leadership programs. As he entered the event, several student speakers rushed over to greet him. He’s known many since they were children.

Murphy said he wants every young person to know “they belong, we want them there, and we want to hear what they have to say.”

When he meets with international visitors, he often asks what their countries are doing to develop the next generation of leaders.

“From what I’ve seen,” Murphy said, “we in Minnesota are far ahead of the curve in empowering young people.”

For more information on Catalyst for Systems Change, visit www.catalystforsystemschange.org/.

Anya Armentrout is a freelance journalist, a student at Macalester College, and a contributing writer for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. She welcomes reader responses at anyaarmentrout@gmail.com.