U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown is looking for Cleveland-area high school students to join her Youth Advisory Council (YAC).
“This is an opportunity to help them understand how government works,” Brown said. “And it’s a great opportunity for us to just learn what’s important to our future leaders.”
YAC will accept about 20 students from Ohio’s 11th Congressional District, which includes all of Cleveland and more than two dozen neighboring cities. Applicants can be high school juniors and seniors or non-traditional students between 16 and 19 years of age. Brown’s office is accepting YAC applications until Sept. 20. Those applying need to provide a cover letter and resume, two recommendation letters and a headshot.
What can students expect on the Youth Advisory Council?
Students selected for the council will serve on it for a year. They will meet in person for half-day sessions one Saturday per month from October through May. During the sessions, students will discuss academic skills such as how to research, manage conflict resolution and improve public speaking, Brown said.
“[Students] don’t really come at this from a Democratic perspective or Republican perspective, and that is refreshing,” she said. “It’s really about problem solving at the end of the day.”
YAC’s first class last year included seven Cleveland Metropolitan School District students. Their monthly sessions featured presentations from Brown’s staff, judges and community organizations, including the Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance. The students created final presentations based on their experience and held a mock congressional hearing about gun violence
“It might not be fair to say, but it was better than some of the hearings I’ve had in my oversight committee,” Brown said of YAC’s mock hearing. “They took it very serious.”
Cultivating community leaders
In addition to introducing young people to politics, the program also helps Brown connect with young Clevelanders. The students incorporate into their presentations such things as proposed legislation, which gives them perspective on current issues, Brown said.
“I am confident that what we are helping to cultivate is a network of folks that will be leading our communities in the future and also serving as resources to each other,” Brown said. “That’s the ultimate goal.”