“If you want a better tomorrow, you have to start today“

The 2021 elections reflected a truth across many states: parents are concerned about the leadership at their children’s schools and voted for a resurgence of conservative values. I’m thrilled to announce that one of those newly elected leaders is Forge alumnus and incoming West Carrollton (Dayton, OH) School Board member, Nate Mundy. 

Nate attended the 2018 and 2019 Forge Leadership Summits, where he participated in the mock legislative sessions and learned how to run a winning campaign during American Majority’s Campaign-In-A-Day training. At just 21 years old, Nate is a superb example of how young people are ready to lead once they are equipped.

His 2021 election was not his first campaign, as Nate first ran for school board in 2019. He said, “When I ran for West Carrollton school board in 2019, I was fresh off my experience at the Forge Leadership Summit. Although I lost that election, Forge taught me to be persistent. I returned to the race in 2021 to lead a powerful campaign that knocked on over 2,000 doors and connected with the community through social media and in-person events. Success is not just about winning, it’s about learning. I saw the larger vision to learn from my mistakes years prior — Forge taught me that.”

Incredibly, there are now SEVEN Forge alumni serving in elected positions. Impressively, Nate was the first to win election via a write-In campaign, which is quite the effort.

The success of the campaign relied upon Nate’s ability to form and foster his network of supporters and friends. “Networking and growing a team of amazing connections through this campaign was a wonderful experience and a great foundation for working on future projects on the school board,” Nate said. “The idea of friendship is sometimes overlooked in our day to day lives — we don’t sit and think about how our friends affect us very much — but looking back at my own life I have a lot of friends to thank for where I am today.”

During the campaign challenge at the Forge Summit, students learn how to build strong volunteer communities. “We trust and respect them. We rely on them and work with them. I have friends that go far above and beyond for me, and I am grateful for the impact they make,” said Nate. “During my campaign I had friends that would go door-to-door, place signs, and even donate their hard-earned money just to support me. I fully believe that I would not have won if it was not for the friends I have. Together we won this election and now there are new opportunities to show other people my age that they can make a difference, too. If you want a better tomorrow, you have to start today.” 

Nate and six other Forge alumni are leading in their communities by serving in elected office. Hundreds of others are serving in the business marketplace, law, nonprofits, even professions such as engineering, medicine, and the arts!

Through Forge, God is raising up young people who want to be used by Him to serve their community, states, and nation in courageous ways to ensure that America’s best days are not behind her!

As a 501c3 educational nonprofit, Forge does not lobby, campaign, or endorse. We mentor, train, and connect young people with the skills and opportunities to pursue their dreams of serving their community.