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public service challenge

Public Service Challenge (PSC) is a non-partisan training offered, in partnership, for each election cycle to support and educate ANY interested individual who is looking to run for a city office or the school board. Below are a series of training videos for the 2022-2023 election cycle. These videos are a rich resource for anyone seeking training about local elections.

The Evanston Community Foundation, Evanston/North Shore Chapter of the NAACP, Evanston Own It, the League of Women Voters, the Evanston/Skokie PTA Council, EC2C Advocates for Action, and Evanston Public Library offer these training videos.

history of public service challenge

Since its inception in 2000, PSC has been organized by a coalition of civic-minded organizations to help community members who are interested in running for elected office understand the responsibilities the role and the expectations. The PSC also supports and educates individuals on how to run an effective and successful campaign.

For more information contact Karli Butler, Director of Community Leadership.

about the video series

The online nonpartisan training focuses on the public servant roles in the City and school boards and on how to run a campaign. The three videos confer information on the roles and responsibilities of office and on how to run successful campaigns. The topics of this three-part series are: 

  • Video One: Funding and Running an Effective Campaign

  • Video Two: School Board Membership

  • Video Three: City Government 

videos

Videos produced by Alicia Healy Productions

Video One: Funding and Running an Effective Campaign

What are the elements of managing a successful campaign? Learn about how to get started, field operations, fundraising, communications and marketing, community outreach, and legal requirements from a group of experienced campaigners. 

  • Greg Andrus, Democratic Party of Evanston

  • Kemone Hendricks, community activist

  • Michael Kreloff, Attorney

  • Rachel Ruttenberg, Democratic Party of Evanston

  • Neil Weingarden, Octothorpe Plus

Video Two: School Board Membership

Learn about the roles and responsibilities of Public School Board service and the relationship to the Superintendent from a current superintendent and several former school board members.

  • Margaret Clauson, Superintendent District 69, Skokie

  • Candance Chow, former board member, D65

  • Omar Brown, former board member, D65

  • Jonathan Baum, former board member, D65 and D202

Reference materials from the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB): About School Boards, Foundational Principles of Effective Governance, School Board Member's Approach to the Job

Video Three: City Government 
Learn about the City Manager form of government, the roles and responsibilities of aldermen and mayor and relationships with the city manager and ward constituents from an expert in city management and two former aldermen.

  • Cheryl Hilvert, Midwest Regional Director, International City/County Management Association
  • Delores Holmes, former alderman, 5th Ward
  • Mark Tendam, former alderman, 6th Ward

Reference materials: Council-Manager Form of Government

panel discussion
Public Service Challenge Flyer

resources

2023 candidate's guide
running for office checklist by Katie Trippi