18 Under 18 Nomination @ Springboard

What is 18 Under 18?

18 Under 18 honors eighteen Jewish teens living in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry or Will county who are inspired by their Jewish values to be changemakers in our community. Honorees are invited to deepen their impact between January- June 2025 by elevating existing impact work, using this platform to start something new, and anything in between.

What is the process for becoming an 18 Under 18 honoree?

This nomination form is the first step towards becoming an honoree. It asks nominators to share how the teen stands out and ensures that the award is the right fit. This year, teens can self-nominate and have an adult provide a recommendation to complete the nomination. All nomination materials are due by October 15^th.

Eligible nominees will receive the application, which will be open in our system between November 1^st - December 2^nd. To help teens prepare for the application we will send nominees a PDF version on a rolling basis beginning in October. Teens must submit their application by December 2^nd to be considered.

18 Under 18 is a competitive process and final selections by a committee of Jewish youth professionals, community members, lay leaders, and previous 18 Under 18 Honorees. Honorees will be celebrated as part of the Teen Community Celebration on May 4^th, 2025.

Every year we have a fantastic pool of applicants and look forward to this year being no exception. Reach out to Shoshi Shapiro with any questions.

*Indicates required field

18 Under 18 nominees must reside in one of the following counties: Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry or Will. Does the nominee live in one of these counties? YesNo

Which of the following identifies you: I am a teen self-nominating myself
I am nominating a teen
I am recommending a teen who self-nominated

Your Information

First Name

Last Name

Preferred Phone Type

Phone

Relationship to nominee
(Nominees cannot be nominated by a family member.)

Nominee Information

Nominee First Name

Nominee Last Name

Nominee Phone

Nominee Email

Nominee's Parent's Name

Nominee's Parent's Email
(In order for a teen to accept their nomination and complete the Teen Application, we must inform both the teen and a parent of their nomination.)

Nominee's High School

Nominee's Grade
(Nominees can be between the ages of 14 and 19 as long as they are a current high school student.)

Questions

1. In a few sentences, tell us why you are recommending this teen and what actions they are taking to stand out amongst their peers.

2. 18 Under 18 Honorees must complete an impact project between January- early June 2025. This can range in scope from starting from an idea to executing or elevating existing work. We provide mentorship and resources to support the Honoree, but we expect the Honoree to drive the project and be self-motivated. Do you feel confident the nominee can advance a project from start to finish with mentorship? Please explain why or why not. Specific examples are welcome.
(1000 characters or less)

3. In a few sentences, what makes this teen a role model?
(1000 characters or less)

4. 18 Under 18 recognizes Jewish teens who are taking actions that embody the values of Tikkun Olam, repairing or making the world better. Describe the measurable impact this teen is having on our community.
(1000 characters or less)

5. We try to attract a diverse applicant pool of Jewish teens. Do you know if this teen has or currently participates in Jewish programming and if so, which organizations?
(1000 characters or less)

6. Is there anything else you would like to share about this teen?

Submitting this form indicates that you understand that information included in this form will be used in the selection of 18 Under 18 honorees. Part of your nomination may be shared directly with the teen you nominate. If selected, parts of this form may be included in online and print publications such as Jewish Chicago, Springboard blog, JUF and Springboard social media, and local newspapers or as JUF or Springboard see fit.

Overview

We are calling on YOU to help us honor Jewish teens who are inspired by their Jewish values to be changemakers in our community.

Nomination Guidelines

Nominees should be current 9th-12th graders living in a county served by the JUF (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will).
Nominees should identify as Jewish
Teens can self-nominate or be nominated by anyone who is not a family member. Self-nominations will require a non-family adult recommendation alongside to be considered complete.

Important Dates and Information

Nominations must be received by 6:00 PM on Tuesday, October 15th.
Nominated teens must submit their applications by 11:59pm on Monday, December 2nd.
Honorees must participate in a welcome and program introduction on the afternoon of January 26^th and attend the Teen Community Celebration on May 4^th, 2025 where they will be featured.
Honorees are expected to spend additional time working on their project and meeting with assigned mentors.

Contact

For questions about the nomination and application process, please contact Shoshi Shapiro at ShoshiShapiro@juf.org or 312-357-4511.