The document discusses the experiences and insights of participants in a youth leadership program focused on improving Charlotte. Participants expressed their appreciation for learning about local history, building confidence through interactions with community leaders, and identifying critical issues such as school segregation and teacher pay. The document also highlights the importance of local leadership in fostering community engagement and addressing concerns for a better future.

1. Grant SheltonKaila Hart
Luke Workley Kalen ClarkPiper Strzelecki

2. Youth Leadership
Group 6

3. Watch presentation
https://youtu.be/PnL2FS0adgw
Watch Q&A
https://youtu.be/uNexsbyuU3A
All presentations http://www.generationnation.org/index.
php/site/article/first-annual-celebrating-youth-leadership

4. The Program
● “My favorite part was when we would walk around Charlotte and see all of the buildings or hear
about the origins of a neighborhood. I think it’s very important to know the history of your
hometown. I’ve lived in Charlotte my whole life and I learned more about it in these few months
than I ever had before.”
● “My favorite part about this program was getting to meet all these people, both adults and
students, who were focused on improving the City of Charlotte. I have never experienced a
program like this, and I feel as though I have learned about the leadership of the City of
Charlotte through this program.”
● “My favorite part about this group of people was the diversity of ideas and backgrounds. I have
lived in Charlotte my entire life and have always gone to a private school so I have known the
same people for my entire school career. This program has allowed me to get to know new
people who attend schools all across the city and who have taught me things about this city that
I would have never learned in school.”

8. Youth Leadership
● “Being in YLCM has given me a lot more confidence for talking to other leaders. I loved meeting
local, influential people. They had a lot of interesting experiences to share and I felt that they all
respected us and cared about what we had to say even though we’re just teenagers.”
● “Being in YLCM, I’ve gotten the chance to talk to many leaders such as Jake House, Dale Fite,
and many more. By having conversations with these people, I learned about the leadership of
Charlotte and how people in charge aren’t ignoring the problems, but are working together to fix
them and make Charlotte a better city everyday. one day, I hope I can be as influential as the
leaders.”
● “YCLM has given me the chance to talk one on one with greatly influential people that contribute
to Charlotte’s community. The best part of these intimate conversations is that you get to put a
face and reason to the decisions being made for the city. With the help of YCLM I have become
more comfortable when speaking to adults with authority and realized that they are just people
too.”

12. Youth Leadership Goals
● “I would like to start a club at my school that maintains the hydroponics
system and serves the fruits and vegetables in the cafeteria for a healthier
lunch option. I also hope that CMS starts allowing students to have a vote
in school board decisions.”
● “I also would like to push for students being allowed to vote on the school
board. I feel as though having a student on the school board would help
influence the decisions to be influenced by what the schools need and
rather not what is best for the school board. Besides, who else no best at
what's happening inside a school then a student?”

16. Community Issues
● “I think one of the biggest issues is the almost ‘resegregation’ of our schools. We need to
redesign the school zoning policies. No one should be denied the benefits of going to culturally
diverse school.”
● “I think a problem in Charlotte is low teacher pay. Everyday, teachers all over Charlotte work to
give students a great education, and yet we still can’t not come up with the funds to increase
their pay and show how much they mean to us. I think that if we can improve teacher pay, then
we can attract and retain so that they don’t move to other regions or private schools.”
● “I think the largest issue facing the youth here in Charlotte is our comprehension of what we are
being taught in school. I can’t say for sure if the problem stems from the teachers or from the
students but we collectively are only remembering information for tests instead of
comprehending it and applying it for the test.”

19. Marty Clontz-Community Relations
Manager
5th generation Charlottean
● Tremendous change over the past few decades
● The most negative growth Charlotte has seen? Traffic!
Typical day as a community relations manager
● Every day is different!
● Deciding which non-profits to give money/resources to
● Look for partnership opportunities
Community role model
● Jay Everette, the Head of Community Relations at Wells Fargo
● He “is upfront and honest” and “a giver and a leader who cares about our
community”

20. Lisa Rhodes - Air Quality Division Director for
Mecklenburg County
● from Stanly County
○ more specifically Stanfield
○ went to West Stanly High School
● Attended Chapel Hill
○ received a B.S. in Chemistry Education
○ taught high school for a year
○ did product testing, design, and sales for a toy manufacturing company
● currently lives in Stanly County still
○ city of Locust
○ commutes into Charlotte everyday
● loves the community in Charlotte but has family ties and roots in Stanly County
○ “The thing that defines Charlotte is definitely the people”
○ the mix of people and the inflow of people from other states keeps the city thriving
○ we have learned from the mistakes of other cities and that has kept us moving forward
● her division is aimed at protecting public health through the air quality

21. William Mitchell-Owner of The
Primrose School at Eastfield Village
Typical day as the owner of Primrose private preschool
● Greet parents and students in the mornings and afternoons
● Hear concerns and questions
● “It’s critical for leaders to be visible and set the tone for their team”
Improvements for Charlotte
● stronger financial support for education
● “It’s the most important investment we can make for the future”
Why it’s important to be a leader
● “Think about the billions of people that have come before you and the
billions that will come after”
● “Resolve to honor the people who came before you and live to be a great
ancestor”