Moraine Valley Community College student Isabella Taylor was named a winner of the 2026 Paul Simon Democracy Prize. The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University Carbondale awarded four $5,000 prizes to current students at Illinois colleges and universities for designing and implementing projects aimed at revitalizing democracy in their communities.
Taylor, a first-year student studying political science, will create a YouTube channel called “Democracy Simplified” to provide clear, accessible voting information for young and first-time voters ages 16 to 24. The channel will feature step-by-step guides on voter registration, understanding ballots and researching candidates, with the goal of reducing confusion and increasing civic participation among young people.
Institute Director John Shaw said he was impressed by the quality and creativity of the proposals submitted by Illinois college and university students.
“The proposals we received were exceptional and make clear that students are committed to finding innovative and constructive ways to strengthen our democracy,” Shaw said. “We are confident the Paul Simon Democracy Prize will motivate students to make a meaningful difference in their communities and help safeguard our democratic institutions.”
The institute invited proposals that were persuasive and imaginative, with the requirement that they have a realistic chance of being implemented within six months. Submissions were made in the form of short videos. This year’s recipients also included students from Illinois State University, Roosevelt University and Southern Illinois University.
Taylor’s submission highlighted her personal experience as a new voter. While she was excited to vote for the first time and researched candidates in advance, she recounted that she felt uninformed when she arrived at the polls. “My experience showed me that even the most motivated and informed young voter can feel unprepared when faced with the realities of voting,” Taylor explained. “The research makes it clear that this is a widespread issue and not just a personal one.”
The four winning videos are now featured on the institute’s website at paulsimoninstitute.siu.edu and on the institute’s YouTube channel.
For news media inquiries, contact Madisson Younglove, assistant director of Communications at Moraine Valley, at (708) 974-5281 or younglovem2@morainevalley.edu.
