High School Youth Summit

One of the core values of the 40 Developmental Assets is creating opportunities for youth to voice their opinions and to use their talents, thoughts and skills for the betterment of the community in which they live.  In Washington County, high school students from all three county schools are invited to come together at the High School Youth Summit.

The student planning team spent time considering the following question, “What are the pressing issues facing the teens of Washington County?”  This year’s Youth Summit planning team challenged youth to address the following issues:

1.    Entertainment: What do kids your age do for fun in Washington County?  
2.    Schools: What are the strengths and weaknesses of our schools?
3.    Youth In Crisis: Where do kids turn when they are in crisis or know of a friend in crisis?  
4.    Life Skills: Do you feel you are prepared with the life skills necessary to be successful in life?
5.    Social Issues: What are the social issues you face most often? (Bullying, drugs, alcohol, pressure to perform, etc.)
6.    Connecting 2 Careers: Do you feel you have a good understand of career options in the county and surrounding area?
7.    Employment: Is it hard to find part-time or summer jobs?
8.    Success After High School: What can Washington County do to help you be more successful after high school and feel prepared to enter the real world?

In May, thirty students representing all three county schools came together to address the issues they face each day.  Students worked together in groups to provide insight and recommendations for how to address the challenges before them.  Students at the Youth Summit feel it is most pressing to address the following issues:

Priority #1: When youth are in crisis, they do not have a place they can turn for help that allows them to remain anonymous and ask questions.  Youth also do not see school counselors as a place to turn for personal issues but rather academic questions.

Priority #2: If youth are not involved with 4-H, Scouts, Church Youth Group or other youth organization they have a hard time connecting with volunteer opportunities.  Youth have a desire to volunteer but are unsure where to find information about volunteer opportunities.  

Priority #3: Youth want an open, safe, fun, clean place to come and hang out.  They don’t expect a lot but would like to have one consistent option that is a public place they can turn to for fun activities or just a place to meet up with friends.  They recognize that places like these in Washington County have been vandalized or abused in the past by youth.  They want to be partners in creating this safe place and instilling accountability.