About TeenCivics

Learn about our mission, how it works, and the creator behind this civic education project

About the Creator

Liv Skeete

Congressional App Challenge CA-40 Winner

Hi, I'm Liv, an 18-year-old Princeton student from California passionate about technology and civic engagement. My long term goal is to create tools that serve humanity. I like to study digital intelligence, neuroscience, and philosophy because they help me think about how humans learn, reason, and make choices. I want to use those insights to design human centered AI that is ethical, practical, and shaped by how people actually think and live.

Beyond the technical side, I have been inspired recently by incredible mentors who encourage me to explore my political beliefs, think seriously about what it means to be a good citizen, and understand how to bring positive change to my country. To me TeenCivics is both a coding project and a civic mission: a way of stepping into civic life while inviting other teenagers to do the same.

Help me keep building TeenCivics while in school

Support on GoFundMe
Portrait of Liv Skeete

Our Mission

In an era marked by rising political violence and deepening division, we're faced with a hard truth. When young people grow up only seeing politics through toxic arguments, war between factions, or violent events, they either withdraw from civic life entirely or become easy targets for extremism.

TeenCivics is my attempt to change that.

I built TeenCivics because I believe the antidote to polarization is better civic literacy. If teens can actually understand what Congress is voting on, see bills in plain language, and engage with issues directly instead of only through sensationalized media or polarized pundits, they're less likely to fall into apathy or extremism.

This project is my way of making democracy accessible, educational, and less scary. I want teens to see what politics and government really are: the process of debating, creating, and passing laws that affect everyday life, not just the highlights of scandal, outrage, or violence.

Through education, I believe teens can learn to value democracy and see that hatred is never the answer to catalyzing change. Instead, they can advocate for themselves by voting, reaching out to their representatives, or engaging in community activism, supported by the guides and links on the TeenCivics Resources page.

Instead of turning away in frustration or fear, I want the next generation to lean in, learn, and participate with confidence.

How TeenCivics Works

TeenCivics is built using modern, production-grade web technologies to make congressional bills accessible and engaging:

Backend: Python Flask web framework with production-ready configuration
Frontend: HTML, CSS, JavaScript with responsive design for mobile and desktop
Database: PostgreSQL for reliable, scalable data storage with full-text search
APIs: Congress.gov API for real-time bill data fetching
AI: Claude Opus 4.7 via Venice.ai for intelligent bill summarization with teen-focused scoring
Automation: GitHub Actions for daily bill processing and posting
Infrastructure: Production deployment with automated scaling and monitoring