Gateway welcomed San Francisco Mayor London Breed back to her old stomping grounds on the Burl Toler campus this fall for a special event; no, we can’t count her as a distinguished alumna, but she did once attend Ben Franklin Middle School where Gateway High now makes it home.
On National Voter Registration Day, Mayor Breed addressed GHS civics students along with representatives from the city’s Department on the Status of Women and Children and the non-profit Ignite, a civic engagement program for young women. Together, they announced their shared initiative to to register thousands of San Francisco high school students to vote in the midterm elections, casting their first ballot and positioning them for a lifetime of voter engagement. The location of the announcement held special resonance because GHS was Ignite’s first high school site ten years ago.
"Civic engagement, voting, and advocacy are some of the most powerful ways that youth can have their voices heard, and set our next generation up for a lifetime of public engagement," said Breed.
We invite you to view the video of the entire announcement, including remarks from GHS IGNITE leaders Razane and Jamaiya.