Lincoln High's student-run nonprofit Mission: Citizen has come a long way from the idea in 2009 that Constitution-savvy teens could apply their knowledge to teaching citizenship classes.

For eight years, the volunteer group has given immigrants a path to citizenship by teaching them the Constitutional and governmental knowledge they need to pass their citizenship test.

In the Trump era, with its rhetoric and executive orders regarding immigrants, the nonprofit's work is seen by many in Portland as more important than ever, the students say.

A recent sign of confidence in the work of these Portland teens? State Farm Insurance awarded Mission: Citizen $49,970.

The group was one of only three applicants in the Pacific Northwest given grant funding, out of nearly a hundred applicants, said Danny Cohen, Lincoln High student and executive director of Mission: Citizen.

The money will allow the group to expand its reach in several ways.

For starters, the nonprofit now has an ad campaign on TriMet to attract more students. Money also paid for iPads that Cohen said help bridge language barriers. They also allow the students to incorporate pre-recorded lessons into their teaching.

Additionally, the grant will increase the number of $275 scholarships Mission: Citizen is able to give out. The group awards them to those who complete the eight-week program to help offset the $725 naturalization fee.

The teens may be amateur teachers, but they know and love government. That's because the teaching ranks come from students who've been on the high school's award-winning Constitution team.

The experience students get serving on that team was the catalyst for the entire program. Students can only take part in the contest one year and, in 2009, some former Constitution team members missed using those skills. Hence Mission: Citizen, which has thrived as new teens with the same desire to practically apply their knowledge have taken over.

"Every single student I've ever had has been incredibly receptive to our teaching," Cohen said. "They're trying to learn as hard as you're trying to teach."

The roughly 60 Lincoln students lead classes in libraries around the Portland metro area. Lately, Cohen said the group has heard more and more from adults reaching out to see how they can help with Mission: Citizen's aim of helping immigrants prepare for their citizenship exams.

"The public opinion is that our mission is now more relevant than ever," Cohen said. "More people in the community are viewing us as necessity they would like to become a part of, as opposed to just another nonprofit in Portland."

-- Bethany Barnes

Got a tip about Portland Public Schools? Email Bethany: bbarnes@oregonian.com