A think tank staffed by high school students
We believe good policy does not need to take sides. When a proposal is built around evidence and clear outcomes, it can gain support from both parties.
The organization
The New York Unity Project is a think tank based in Brooklyn, NY, run entirely by high school students. We write policy research, model legislation, and opinion pieces.
Our focus is on artificial intelligence, education, and economic policy. The rules for these issues are being written right now, and we believe young people should have a real say in them, because we are the ones who will live with the results the longest.
What we do
Proposals on specific, solvable problems. Each brief includes a concrete policy suggestion and supporting data.
Complete bills, written so that members of either party could support them.
Essays from our members on politics, policy, and the causes of American division.
Forums and discussions in Brooklyn and online.
Where we stand
Most of our members lean left of center, and we would rather say that openly than pretend to be perfectly neutral. At the same time, every proposal we publish has to pass one test: could a legislator from either party support it? Congress is gridlocked because so much legislation is written to score points instead of to pass. We try to write policy that could actually pass.
Why students
Because we have the most at stake. The decisions being made right now about AI, education, and the economy will shape our adult lives more than anyone else's. On questions like how students actually use AI in school, we are the primary sources. And since nobody cites a high school think tank out of politeness, our work has to hold up on its own.
Impact & accomplishments
- Published a full policy brief on reducing recidivism through prison education and workforce programs (March 2026)
- Drafted and published the complete text of a federal model bill — the Anti-Capture Corporate Governance Act of 2025
- Produced nonpartisan candidate pamphlets for four 2025 races: New Jersey governor, New York City mayor, Virginia governor, and California Proposition 50
- Hosted a public youth forum in Brooklyn on making social media less politically divisive (April 2026)
We're looking for high school students willing to put real time into research and writing. There is no political litmus test. What matters is work ethic and honest research.
Email newyorkunityproject@gmail.com or text (718) 612-5621.