YOUTH LEADERS TAKE THE GAVEL TO KEEP THEIR CITY SAFE

by Lori Butterworth

Youth and adults will gather across the street from Watsonville City Hall at Second Street Café on Monday, April 15 at 4:15 for an opening reception of the “YOUTH SAFETY PHOTO EXHIBIT: OUR REALITY” created by students at Renaissance High School. The exhibit is part of the initiative of the Watsonville Youth City Council to unite youth and law enforcement through open dialogue and working together to promote youth safety in Watsonville. The photo exhibit, which will be displayed in Second Street Café through the months of April and May, was created by Renaissance High School’s Regional Occupational Program (ROP) photography students under the direction of ROP teacher, Karen Lemon and Martha Vega of the Watsonville Police Department. The exhibit has received praise for its artistic expression and deeply profound reflections from youth.

Watsonville Youth City Council Mayor Alvaro Zamora, a senior at Pajaro Valley High School, will be joined by the Renaissance photographers to cut the official ribbon at 4:30 PM to open the photo exhibit. Renaissance High School photographers and Watsonville Youth City Council members will offer tours of the photo exhibit to guests.

Immediately following the ribbon cutting ceremony, the Watsonville Youth City Council will take their positions in City Council Chambers at 5:00 PM for a public meeting to discuss some of the critical issues facing youth in the City of Watsonville.

The Watsonville Youth City Council recently worked with youth from the City of Santa Cruz for the historic Youth Safety Summit, a collaboration of North and South Santa Cruz County youth to unite in an effort to restore safety for all of Santa Cruz County. Watsonville Youth Council members will report findings from the Youth Safety Summit and will be joined by members of the newly formed Santa Cruz Youth City Council.

In addition to reports on the Youth Safety Summit, the Watsonville Youth City Council will discuss their findings about Pinto Lake contamination and plans for youth involvement in its restoration.  The youth will also report about what they are learning from the Watsonville Planning Commission and City staff about how businesses decide to come to Watsonville. The youth are investigating assumptions about what kinds of businesses will thrive in the City, given that 31.5% of the population is under the age of 18.

Public service presentations and awards will be presented to outstanding youth programs in the City of Watsonville. All are encouraged to attend. 

The Youth City Council program is dedicated to igniting the power of young people to create a more compassionate world and achieve greater personal success through meaningful community service and leadership. http://youthcitycouncil.org 

The Regional Occupational Program is a department of the Santa Cruz County Office of Education offering Career Technical Education courses to students throughout Santa Cruz County. For more information http://www.rop.santacruz.k12.ca.us/

Contact Lori Butterworth for more information: watsonvilleyouth@gmail.com