What difference does a sense of trust in a political system, schools, or fellow citizens make for young people's civic and political participation? Some argue that a certain amount of skepticism among adult citizens motivates participation rather than complacency. Is that also true for young people? Or, is there a threshold level of trust necessary to believe it is worthwhile to get involved? Researchers interested in engagement in politics distinguish between trust of other people and trust of institutions. This two-level model may not fully capture the range of trust. While some institutions like government are experienced from a distance, individuals come into regular contact with representatives of other social institutions. A three-level model of trust seems appropriate: (1) Delegated trust; (2) Collective trust; and (3) Affective trust. Data collected in 1999 by the IEA Civic Education Study, with a focus on students? civic and political knowledge and attitudes, provides an opportunity to examine this three-level model and the following three questions: (1) How do students in the United States compare to those in other countries in their levels of trust? (2) Are students who participate in voluntary organizations more trusting? (3) Does trust relate to United States students? expectations of future civic participation? How do students in the United States compare to those in other countries in their levels of trust? This document provides information and answers to these questions.