By Hal Lippman
Since its establishment in 2014, CBC’s landmark Youth Representative Program has provided our City’s high school students with a unique opportunity to: learn about local government and civic engagement first-hand; practice and grow their leadership skills; and contribute to the work of City Boards and Commissions and other community organizations. Over this ten-year span more than 200 George Mason/Meridian High School students have served on 25 Boards and Commissions and other civic organizations including, aside from those cited below, the: Economic Development Authority, Arts and Humanities Council, Library Board of Trustees, Citizens Advisory Committee on Transportation, Electoral Board, Urban Forestry Commission, League of Women Voters, Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation Social Justice Committee, Creative Cauldron, Women’s History Group, Falls Church Homeless Shelter, and Village Preservation and Improvement Society. The Class of 2024 Youth Reps were appointed for two-year, renewable terms and in some cases served for three years.
In anticipation of their graduation, this year’s Senior Youth Reps were invited to reflect on their experiences with the board, commission, or civic organization on which they served. In developing their responses they were asked to identify key concepts or ideas they were struck by, describe how they’ve shared what they learned, discuss their body’s role and impact, and describe what surprised them most during their service. The Youth Reps that responded were: Katherine Holt, Joy Wilson, Liz Rotherham, Grayson Kusic, Ariana Lehrer, Mathew Downs, Maya Dycaico, Caroline Carmody, Megan Carpenter, Annaliese Baron, Carter Williams, Tommy Wotka, Sean Lewin, Joseph Cobucci, Isabella Villank, Jack Loper, Ivy Anderson, and Joseph Ziayee. Highlights of their answers, in their own words, are provided below.
Environmental Sustainability Council Member
“The [ESC] is certainly making Falls Church a better place for citizens, and the environment. Coming to meetings I’ve seen proposals shared about new sustainability initiatives such as promoting electric vehicles, incentivizing citizens through tax breaks, and adding in renewable energy sources like solar panels…. Various [Council-sponsored] activities that were being discussed at the meetings…may help citizens to get involved.
“By being an IB Environmental Science student at Meridian, I thought it was really interesting to learn about different sustainability strategies and apply them to the meetings and also vice versa. I’ve been able to connect ideas from the classroom to my civic engagement and also bring in new ideas I heard from meetings into the classroom…. My engagement has also spurred interesting dinner conversations with my family, as we’ve discussed ways in which we can make a difference in our home.”
Human Services Advisory Council Member
“One key concept that I have learned through my involvement with the HSAC is the importance of finding ways to give back to your community. Through this experience, I was able to have a direct influence on providing support to Falls Church citizens in need by participating in the planning of the…City’s Human Services budget for the fiscal years of 2023 and 2024. In addition, this planning provided me with valuable insights into budgeting, financial analysis, and the [Council’s] decision-making processes….concepts [that] are crucial for effective governance and sustainable community development.”
Architectural Advisory Board Member
“What surprised me the most during this experience is the passion I’ve developed for architecture…. Over my past 3 years on the Board I’ve fallen in love with the real-work design process similar to the one I love in [my] Meridian Design [class]. This interest led me to apply to UVA for their architecture program and…I got in. Without this board I wouldn’t have been able to see how a class I love was used in the real world and helped out the future. I would have never thought 3 years ago I would apply to college for architecture….”
Human Services Advisory Council Member
“Some key ideas…I will take with me and have for the rest of my life are the ability to be open-minded and the ability to plan in an organized and precise way. In HSAC we have to be open-minded to better understand all points of view, and best serve all people in need in an equal and just manner. I will use these skills of open-mindedness and sympathy throughout my life, whether it be in a personal, political, or general manner.”
Falls Church Education Foundation Board Member
“During my involvement with FCEF, the thing that has surprised me the most is the sheer passion of those involved. I was amazed by the extreme devotion and true desire of the members to make the schools a better place and to make the community come together over a common cause. Witnessing this level of commitment and dedication was truly inspiring, and it showed me the power of individuals coming together for a greater good. I feel privileged to be a part of such an amazing organization and to work alongside such passionate and dedicated people.”
Housing Commission Member
“My family, and many of my friends, have lived in Falls Church for most, if not all, of their lives. This was one of my driving factors in joining this Commission in the first place. I felt that I had a responsibility to voice the desires of dedicated citizens in our community…. During the meetings, I have learned about how the city’s developments are planned, and the statistics that guide them…. One specific statistic I found, and shared, was that households falling at or below 120 percent AMI (Average Median Income) were eligible for affordable housing benefits. This was honestly very surprising for myself and my friends. I never considered just how unbalanced Falls Church City was with regard to economic status.”
Welcoming Falls Church Board Member
“What surprised me most during my involvement with WFC is the level of devotion from the members…. Prior to my involvement, I didn’t realize how much attention and time WFC’s projects required, and how many different components cooperated to ensure the success of the initiatives.”
Lions Club Member
“My time with the Lions Club highlighted the importance of community when working together to accomplish goals. As a civic organization formed from volunteers working together to organize events, there is a lot of communication and collaboration necessary in order to realize the events…. [In addition] my involvement…exemplified the importance of community and forming bonds with the townspeople, with the majority of events planned by the Club occurring every year and becoming traditions.”
Falls Church City Democratic Committee Member
“During my time with the FCCDC, I learned a lot of ways I could [grow]…. For example, I learned the importance of speaking up in group meetings; it can be very easy to stay silent and just listen, but once I did speak up, it became easier and easier to make contributions to the discussion [and present a younger person’s viewpoint]…. Additionally, I learned the importance of networking with new people….[and] some interesting things about local political groups and processes, which I have been able to share with friends and family….to educate [them] on the important choices which have appeared on each ballot…[and] urge [them] to vote….”
Recreation and Parks Advisory Board Member
“[I’ve been] surprised [by]…how long each park project takes….projects can take a decade to complete. I didn’t realize all the steps involved, like planning, talking to the community, and dealing with regulations. Each step takes time, and sometimes there are unexpected delays. Community members, the Board, and other officials need to agree, and acquiring the funds can take time. Witnessing the hard work and discussions needed to develop Falls Church parks has made me realize how much effort goes into them and makes me appreciative of all of our outdoor spaces.”
Environmental Sustainability Council Member
“…one of the most important things I’ve learned from being on [the ESC]…is working with others no matter the difference in opinion[s]…. During our meetings, many people will voice different perspectives on the same topic, and sometimes there is disagreement and difficulty coming to a consensus. But this has taught me that there’s no reason to put barriers between someone who thinks differently than you, it is just…[an] opportunity to learn another perspective and view things differently. I will take this with me as I get older because it will make me [a] more open-minded person, and a better collaborator and leader.”
