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Students speak up at first annual youth summit

Posted on May 27, 2010 by Staff

By Kate Griesmann
Staff Writer

Carrboro – “SMART Boards are cool and all, but you don’t need to have them.” “They are no better than projectors.”

These were just some of the comments on the device that is becoming a popular feature in classrooms these days, made by students gathered for the “Keeping it Green/Environment” breakout session offered at the Chapel Hill Youth Council’s summit, “Speak up! Speak out!” on May 22.

Session facilitator and Chapel Hill Youth Council member Clara Casabo added SMART Boards to a list of subjects the school system could investigate in order to save money and be more environmentally conscious. Also on the list: air conditioning and heating that can’t be controlled by teachers, lights left on overnight, saving paper and greening up cafeterias.

When Casabo’s co-facilitator Daniel Woldorff asked how many people thought SMART Boards were a waste use of school funds, a flood of hands flew up. Only two students thought SMART Boards were a good use of money.

Conversation then turned to how the group of 30 rising eighth-to-11th-graders could make their opinions and concerns known to school, county and state decision makers. That question, in essence, was what “Speak Up! Speak Out!” – the first summit of its kind sponsored by CHYC – was all about.

The Chapel Hill Youth Council, made up of area high school students, is dedicated to promoting activities, services and projects that benefit area youth. Members, who can attend public, private, home or charter schools, are given opportunities like the youth summit to practice leadership and democracy skills that will help them become involved citizens.

“Speak up! Speak out!” was created to let students explore ways to have a positive impact on their community by learning ways to act on their interests and concerns, and be heard.

Other topics covered in breakout groups included sexuality and relationships and teen roles in government. There was a writing workshop, and the summit also included musical performances, poetry readings and a gallery walk.

An adult session, titled “Allies in Action” was offered for parents and community members.

Down the hall from Casabo and Woldorff’s session, a large group of students loudly debated ways to reduce racial profiling at school. Next door, three sex educators answered student questions ranging from HIV and STD transmission to ways to discuss safe sex with peers and partners.

A smaller group of students discussed the implications of teaching to the test and responsibility for student apathy: whether it’s that teachers don’t inspire, or that students just don’t care. “There is responsibility that falls on us as students,” one participant said, summing up the theme of the summit.

3 thoughts on “Students speak up at first annual youth summit”

  1. Jake Anderson says:
    May 27, 2010 at 11:24 am

    I think it’s great that students have a forum in which to express views like that. Wastes of money like smartboards and excessive AC are obvious to students, but apparently not to administration. Hopefully the students will be heard on these matters.

  2. Andrew Dowdy says:
    June 15, 2010 at 6:06 pm

    Hello citizens of Carrboro!!!

    My name is Andrew Dowdy and I am a rising senior at East Chapel Hill High!
    I too am a member of the Chapel Hill Youth Council!

    I helped put this into action!
    And I would like it to be well known that we, the CHYC (Chapel Hill Youth Council)
    held the Youth Summit NOT to simply discuss issues that affect us as teens.

    Rather we facilitated civic growth from the participants by helping them dig deeper into their roles as both teens and as citizens within this community. We used each session to pull issues from the minds of those who participated as they relate to the subject area of the session as well as how they related to Chapel Hill/Carrboro.

    We organized these issues and let the Gallery Walk commence. People voted with their 5 red sticker dots for the issues that were generated that seemed most pertinent or those that they were most eager to see closure to.

    The CHYC tallied the votes and is now developing an action plan to confront these issues head on. These actionable items (issues) and the action plans they each entail will serve as the basis of a Youth Platform that we will begin developing and pushing in the coming month.

    In addition, we strive to involve not only those who attended the Summit, but ALL youth in the community in the process of effecting positive change. We are attempting to facilitate personal leadership and citizenship in all members of our community, but with a special focus on Youth Empowerment!!!

    From here, we only look ahead.
    Anyone can contact me with questions by email : soytuasere@gmail.com

    Go CHYC! Keepin’ it rollin’!!!

    And to all my fellow Chapel Hill/Carrboro Youth:
    Speak Up, Speak Out!
    You are stronger than you know.
    And strong people,
    lead themselves.

    P.S. I came up with the slogan!

  3. Andrew Dowdy says:
    June 15, 2010 at 6:08 pm

    And in response to you Mr. Anderson

    We will ensure that our voices are heard.
    We got ourselves in the news.
    No adults involved.
    …
    Just us.

    And we can do this!

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