Children are our future

We are always only one generation away from extinction

Ronald Reagan gave his inaugural address upon being elected as California’s governor on Jan. 5, 1967. In that speech, he delivered these now-famous lines (just a few among many from the man who would be one of the most consequential presidents in American history): “Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. And those in world history who have known freedom and then lost it have never known it again.”

Suspending incredulity that California managed to elect such a man and focusing on these words, it’s hard to ignore that they point to the importance of teaching young people the value of freedom and of appreciating the fruits of sacrifice, lest we fail to do so and lose everything.

American Experiment has been fighting on Minnesota’s education front in two important ways: educating the people of the state about policies and leaders who have an impact on how Minnesota runs and functions as a state, and focusing on how well or poorly the actual education system is operating — the very system that is directly responsible for teaching our younger generations the basic skills and knowledge to function as responsible citizens in this great country.

It hasn’t been an easy path on both fronts, but, unlike our state’s “leaders” of late, I have faith in my fellow Minnesotans to make good decisions — if they’re well informed and educated. This is also where we’ve experienced our greatest pushback. The education cabal in Minnesota has long taken advantage of its historically good reputation and performance and, over a few years, has run it into the ground. Our education policy fellow, Catrin Wigfall, has written in-depth reports on Minnesota’s education implosion at the hands of woke ideology and “diversity” standards that have nothing to do with education. It has been the topic of many of my columns — and we have seen success on this front. Namely, exposing the radical social studies standards infiltrating every aspect of K-12 public schools. This is a dangerous consequence of the “progressive” ideology that has captured our education institutions — including the programs that teach our teachers.

Fortunately, American Experiment understands the far-reaching end goal of the politicization of the government education system. That is why we don’t just work on messaging — we practice what we preach. I believe conservative values form the bedrock of a strong, civic-minded, and freedom-loving people. These are values Minnesota used to teach not only in homes but also in schools, and nurtured even in the years that followed. So, I am encouraged, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges put up by a far-Left governor and his administration, the teachers’ unions, and money from national organizations, of some of the young people who come to us as interns.

That was in Spring 2021. Exactly five years later in our Spring 2026 Thinking Minnesota Poll, we write:

Young women (aged 18-54) stood out in the survey for their decidedly negative views about America. They were the least patriotic age group, splitting 34/56 on America being the best country in the world. Only 23 percent believe America’s history is mostly good, and 54 percent believe America is not a force for good in the world. Although young men are more positive about the country, the negativity from young women is a direct result of what they learned in Minnesota’s K-12 public education system.

Clearly, there is more work to be done. But again, I am heartened by the young people who are excited to join American Experiment as staff and policy fellows, and as interns, many of whom are products of these government education institutions. But we cannot underestimate the importance of providing opportunities to learn and grow in a conservative-minded environment. These are our future leaders, after all.

Here are some of the bright young minds working with us this summer.

Sophia Kyba is a marketing and communications intern. This fall, she will enter her junior year at Hillsdale College as a double major in economics and French. Sophia is passionate about defending the free market and enjoys communicating ideas through design and writing. She hopes to attend graduate school and is interested in a career in academia or international business.

Carter Johnson is a policy intern focusing on economics and health care. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in economics and political science from Saint John’s University in May 2026. The previous summer, Carter was a policy intern at the Competitive Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C. During his time as an undergraduate student, Carter served as a student coordinator at the McCarthy Center for Public Policy & Civic Engagement, where he organized and hosted events featuring prominent political and academic speakers on campus. Carter also studied abroad in London, England, where he was a research and marketing intern for Trojan Energy, a startup incorporating electric vehicle charger installations into sidewalks across the United Kingdom. Carter enjoys lifting weights and learning piano in his spare time.

Hailey Benjamin is a policy intern and currently a senior studying politics, history, and economics at the University of Northwestern – St. Paul. She is part of the Eagle Scholars Honors Program at Northwestern and recently completed a research project examining the impact of the Cold War on horror and science fiction films produced in the 1950s and 1960s. In her free time, Hailey enjoys reading, baking, and spending time outside. After graduation, Hailey hopes to become involved in policymaking either as a legislative assistant or working for a public policy-focused non-governmental organization.

Alex Watschke is an events and policy intern. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Northwestern — St. Paul with a degree in business administration and will be entering St. Thomas School of Law this fall. His interests include constitutional law, public policy, political philosophy, and the Christian intellectual tradition. Outside of his professional work, Alex enjoys studying history, theology, and legal theory, with a particular interest in the relationship between law, morality, and the common good.

As you can see, there is much to be hopeful about in our state, even when the deck seems stacked against us. A strong, vibrant, free Minnesota isn’t just dependent on our actions now, but with an eye to the future and young generations who need guidance, purpose, and wisdom to navigate a society that is often at odds with conservative values and principles. And as Reagan stated, freedom is only one generation away from extinction — let’s make sure it doesn’t happen on our watch.