Definition:  to think    (1) to exercise the power of reason
                                (2) to weigh the idea; consider the matter
                                (3) to devise; invent

A Teen Think Tank is teenagers sitting down together reasoning about school violence, weighing their collective ideas, and devising recommendations on what to do about school violence.

These teenagers use the latest computer software tools to let them focus their thinking, consider their results and reach consensus.

They join ranks with the rocket scientists of NASA, the generals of the Department of Defense, the planners of the Sydney Olympics 2000, and world leaders at the (Jimmy) Carter Collaboration Center when they sit down to collaborate on school violence.  All the above use the same technology for their own think tanks on many weighty subjects.

Students, working in the freedom of anonymity, open their minds and share their best thoughts.

They then, as a group, evaluate their ideas and select the ones that are most relevant.

From that list they select the 3 - 5 best ideas for further development.

In the first half hour of a Teen Think Tank, students will typically come up with 120 to 150 ideas.  They will select 30 to 40 ideas as being the most relevant.  From those they select the top 3 to 5 ideas.  This is their best thinking.  They do all this in addition to doing 10 minutes of warm-up exercises to become familiar with the software.

The next 2 hours is spent expanding and enriching their top ideas.

Each of the ideas is placed on an electronic index card on the computer screens.  Students brainstorm specifically on these top topics.  This time they are encouraged to think about solutions and action items rather than problems.  They see everybody's work on their monitors.  Ideas are triggered by something someone else said.  Everything is still anonymous.

The participants then prioritize and select the best solutions for each of the topics.

The teenagers end the Teen Think Tank by taking a 15 minute survey on school violence.

Why are Teen Think Tanks so exciting for teenagers?

• For many students, this is the first time they have ever been seriously asked for their opinion on school violence.
• They have been told up front that their results are being awaited by their Governor, Attorney General, Mayor, School Superintendent or other government officials.  Their work is not going to be wasted.
• They have been told that their work will be published on an Internet web site.  Anyone in the world can see their work and appreciate it.
• They want to be heard.
• They enjoy working together in harmony and productivity.
• They like technology.

A key ingredient to a successful Teen Think Tank is a local organizing committee.  Please visit our section on Hosting a Teen Think Tank for more information about bringing this concept to your community.