Youth Leadership 2000 - 2001

Valley United Way’s Youth Leadership Program has begun it’s 11^th year. The Program’s primary purpose is to provide a vehicle by which the Valley’s future community leaders and volunteers are trained and developed. Since the inception of the Program, over 250 teens have participated. This year the Program’s membership consists of thirty-eight high school students from public and private schools in the Valley. The high schools represented this year are: Ansonia, Derby, Emmett O’Brien RVTS, Fairfield Prepatory, Notre Dame of West Haven, Sacred Heart Academy, Seymour and Shelton. Each year, members are put through a series of training programs that help them develop the skills related to team building, problem solving and decision making, organizational and personal skills, as well as self esteem and self confidence.

On Thursday, March 23^rd the 11^th Annual Member/Parent Reception was held at the Russian Lodge in Shelton. This was an occasion for the incoming members and their parents to have a full understanding the Program and the events of the upcoming year. Since many of the members do not know each other, the reception was great opportunity to first meet other members and the staff at Valley United Way’s. Jack Walsh, Executive Director of Valley United Way, discussed the origins of the Program and how it has evolved in the ten years since its inception. Julius Douglas, Ansonia Board of Education and community volunteer, also made remarks about the importance of volunteerism among today’s youth and how volunteering is a win-win situation for everyone. Allison Younkin, America’s Promise Fellow at Valley United Way and Youth Leadership Advisor, gave a timeline of this years events and returning members highlighted the events from last year.

Following the kick-off, the members attended a weekend Teambuilding Retreat at Camp Jewell in Colebrook, Connecticut on April 7^th. Camp Jewell, the YMCA Outdoor Center, is a dynamic hands-on learning experience that emphasizes learning in several major areas: trust, leadership, and communication. The Retreat was a "mini-outward bound" type experience designed to bring the group together as a team for the first time. Experienced camp staff are skilled in drawing analogies between each activity and the work the Youth Leadership members will be doing throughout the year.

The Group completed their first project of the year with the Postal Workers Food Drive on May 13. Click here to see some pictures of the group in action.

The Youth Leadership Members for the 2000 Program year are: