Citizens for a Better City has launched a new Youth Representative Initiative to encourage students grades 9-12 to work with Falls Church City Boards, Commissions and Civic Groups to gain real world experience in running a city, schools, and community organizations.

1. Youth Representatives to
Boards & Commissions
Citizens for a Better City

2. Need
CBC seeks to support Falls Church City Schools, City Council and
Boards & Commissions, and Civic Groups by:
 Engaging a broader group of the City’s citizens, and promoting
civic leadership development:
 Getting busy adults to fill seats on Boards & Commissions, as well
as with civic groups, is a major challenge
 Parents become engaged when their children are involved
 Many City Boards & Commissions have vacancies
 At the same time, finding meaningful volunteer opportunities
for youth and engaging citizens is an on-going challenge

3. Plan
CBC’s plan is to:
 Offer Boards and Commissions, as well as Civic Groups, the
opportunity host 2 youth representatives each
 Boards & Commissions, as well as Civic Groups, can self-select
whether to host Youth Representatives for a one year term beginning
in the Fall of 2014.
 Youth representative seats will be non-voting and youth will not
participate in closed sessions.
 Will give youth a meaningful voice in our community and help better
engage parents in civic issues.

4. Support
Ties into pilots & emerging initiatives in community:
 School Board’s successful pilot of Student
Representative
 Housing Commission exploring concept
 GHMS’s IB Diploma “Creativity, Action, Service”
(CAS) requirement can be fulfilled as Youth
Representative
 Ties into goal of creating new diploma program with
service learning & civic engagement for broader range
of students
 Supported by City Manager Wyatt Shields, Schools
Superintendent Dr. Jones, & GMHS Principal Byrd
 Falls Church City Council, CBC, and VPIS Boards
voted unanimous approval of concept

5. Goals
This initiative will:
1. Create opportunities for youth to learn
about civics at the local level in a hands-on
way to prepare future generation of
citizens
2. Give students opportunities to volunteer
in meaningful ways
3. Enhance students’ college and job
applications
4. Better engage parents & peers in civic life
5. Demonstrate Falls Church City’s
commitment to youth by giving students a
voice in decisions

6. Promotion
CBC will promote opportunities
by working with:
 Principal
 Students & SGA
 Teachers
 Guidance Counselors
 Student Government
 Students in Civics Courses
 FCC Civic Groups
 PTAs
 Community-at-Large

7. Eligibility
Eligible youth will include:
 All high school students living in
FCC
 Homeschooled & private school
students
 Sophomores will be especially
encouraged to apply in spring so can
volunteer in junior year
 Special effort to encourage those
students who otherwise may not have
leadership opportunities
 Selection process will focus on
students’ interest & potential, rather
than past achievements

8. Application Process
 Simple application focused on what
student hopes to contribute & get out
of experience
 Also how they will share what they
learn
 Applicants asked to try to attend
meeting of Board, Commission, or
Civic Group in mid-Sept to mid-Oct
before interviews begin in mid-Oct
 For initial round, applications
available Sept 15th & Due Sept 30th

9. Selection
 Broad-based Youth Representatives Recommendation
Committee (YR2C) will
 CBC
 VPIS
 Falls Church Democratic Committee
 Falls Church Republican Committee
 All Civic Groups that wish to participate
 YR2C will receive & review applications, get principal
recommendations, & interview candidates in October
2014
 YR2C will make recommendations to City Council
Appointments Committee & relevant Civic Groups by
October 20th

10. Selection Criteria &
Recognition
 Candidates will be recommended to achieve broad
representation from City youth
 Will be selected based on their interest, commitment, and
potential as a Youth Representative
 Youth Representatives to Boards & Commissions will be sworn
in by City Council, & have opportunity to present to Council
during term; Youth Reps to Civic Groups will be elected by
their governing body and by laws
 Youth Representatives should have responsibilities and a clear
role that is realistic for them to balance with academic, athletic
and social priorities

11. CBC Support
CBC will work with City Council, City staff & YR2C to:
 Provide protocols & guidelines, based on lessons learned by
School Board
 Conduct workshop for Youth Representatives & host Boards
& Commissions, as well as Civic Groups, in November 2014
 To help clarify roles, expectations, and how best to protect,
guide and engage Youth Representatives

12. Our thanks to City Council
CBC’s Youth Reps Committee thanks City Council for your
support of the Youth Representatives initiative:
 Carol Loftur-Thun, Chair & CBC 1st VP
 Jerry Barrett
 Craig Cheney
 Paul Handly
 Lindy Hockenberry
 Ron Peppe

13. Q & A