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| The 2010-2011 Youth Council |
"We have a powerful potential in our youth, and we must have the courage to change old ideas and practices so that we may direct their power toward good ends."
>Following YSA’s Youth Service Institute last week in Detroit, I had the opportunity to spend the weekend co-facilitating the orientation of our new Youth Council Members. All members of the council serve an important role as youth leaders of the global youth service movement that YSA mobilizes and supports. After a successful but exhausting YSI, including a midnight trip to University of Michigan to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the speech that created the Peace Corps, I found myself Friday morning waiting at the Detroit airport for all of the Youth Council members to arrive. I was a little anxious to meet all of them, as I had read all of their impressive applications and recommendations. From previous experience working with young people who are all leaders in their own schools, communities, and organizations, I always wonder what will happen when you put them all together to work on a project. But my fears were put to rest within hours of putting these 17 inspiring youth in a room together.
There was an instantaneous camaraderie and eagerness to start working together as a team. Over the weekend, the youth council members participated in training on how to develop a grant program, identified community needs in Detroit, and successfully drafted a grant program in less than two hours. They learned about all of YSA’s program areas and identified areas for potential engagement with YSA staff and programs, and trained each other on how to be the best spokespeople for Youth Service America. They also learned that they can all be leaders and still effectively and efficiently work as a team. In less than 48 hours, they accomplished tasks that take some organizations months to complete.
Our new Youth Council members are impressive, accomplished leaders in their schools and community, and are some of the most driven people I have ever met. Most importantly, they have dedicated their lives to making the voice of their generation heard. I am truly inspired by these young people and their passion to make a real difference in their communities. As a society, we tend to lose focus of the wonderful things that children and young people do every day to change their communities and their capacity for doing great things. These 17 individuals are a reminder of the power of youth to act as catalysts for change and engaged leaders.
To Alex, Arielle, Carrie, Charles, Fayise, Ivet, Jameson, Jade, Joey, Jordyn, Krithika, Marissa, Melanie, Ross, Skylar, Taban, Vivian- YSA is lucky to have all of you as members of our Youth Council and we look forward to working with you over the next year!
