About 700 CCSD juniors and seniors debated AI, privacy and democracy at the 2026 Las Vegas Sun Youth Forum

What happened

About 700 juniors and seniors from across the Clark County School District gathered at Cimarron-Memorial High School on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, for the annual Las Vegas Sun Youth Forum, the Sun reported. The event brings students together to discuss complex current issues that are usually left to adults.

Working in small, mixed groups, students talked about immigration reform, opioid addiction, Flock cameras, artificial intelligence, the future of the Republican Party and other topics, according to the Sun. Before the day ended, Sun publisher and editor Brian Greenspun announced scholarships totaling $32,000 for attendees.

How the forum works

A tradition since 1956

The Sun reported that the forum has given students a chance to debate culture, politics and current events since 1956. It was canceled only in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic. The idea came from Sun founding publisher Hank Greenspun, his assistant Ruthe Deskin and Clark County School District administrator Harvey Dondero, who agreed that students should be heard and not just seen.

Small groups and adult moderators

Adult moderators loosely guide each room, and the groups are built around active listening and constructive debate, according to the Sun. Participants often hold different views but stay respectful toward one another. One student from each discussion room was chosen to present highlights to the community. More coverage of local students is available in our schools section.

What students talked about

Places for teens to go

In one room, students agreed there is not much for young people in Las Vegas to do without their parents, the Sun reported. Joey Morehouse of Southwest Career and Technical Academy said local youth have communities but lack spaces. He described being part of the punk hardcore and straightedge scene and said he wants safe, alcohol-free, all-ages venues for independent music.

Morehouse said such venues used to be available but have been pushed into parts of the valley that young people avoid out of fear of violence. He added that because many musicians are not yet 21, the places they can play are limited.

Flock cameras and privacy

A few doors away, students were skeptical of Flock cameras, according to the Sun. Frankie Catanzaro of Coronado High School compared the automatic license plate readers to the telescreens in George Orwell's novel "1984." He said the cameras do not read minds, but they do invade privacy, and he argued they read more than license plates.

The Republican Party after Trump

Another group debated who might lead the Republican Party in the 2028 presidential election, when President Donald Trump cannot run again. Most in the room leaned toward Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Sun reported. Edward Longbardi of Desert Oasis High School was not convinced and said the person who ends up leading the party may not yet be known.

What everyone experiences

In a room asked to name something every person experiences, Rubén Muñoz of Northeast Career and Technical Academy answered with endings, from the end of a relationship to the end of an era. Other students named death, grief, joy, fear, belief systems, growth and the need to belong, while a couple said nothing is universal.

An Election Day backdrop

The forum fell on Election Day, when many of the students' parents and other adults were voting in the midterms. The Sun reported that Democrats were winning in Nevada and across the country, taking majorities in both chambers of Congress. Our elections coverage has more on the results.

Greenspun told students that although most were too young to vote, by gathering to examine major issues they were also taking part in democracy, according to the Sun. He said the forum would help them learn to do the right thing when they are in charge in five or ten years.

What to watch next

• Students chosen from each discussion room are set to write columns for the Las Vegas Sun, according to the Sun.
• Some of those students will instead be interviewed on UNLV-TV or KUNV radio, the Sun reported.