Young Philadelphians want to be heard before you elect the city’s next mayor

This story is a part of the Every Voice, Every Vote series.

As Philadelphia voters prepare to elect the city’s 100th mayor, its youngest residents face unprecedented challenges.

In the 2022-2023 school year, 117 district students were shot. Twenty-six of those students were killed.

Many students on the cusp of adulthood say they don’t feel their education has prepared them for living through Philly’s gun violence crisis. They worry they won’t make it home from school.

Three civically-minded students have spent this election season making sure that their voices, and the voices of their peers, are heard before adults make decisions that will impact Philadelphians for years to come.

WHYY News photographer and videographer Kimberly Paynter captured their story.

This story is a part of Every Voice, Every Vote, a collaborative project managed by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Lead support is provided by the William Penn Foundation with additional funding from The Lenfest Institute, Peter and Judy Leone, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Harriet and Larry Weiss, and the Wyncote Foundation, among others. Learn more about the project and view a full list of supporters here.