2015-2016 MYC Retreat

2015-16 MYC Highlights

During the 2015-16 MYC year, we took our work beyond City Hall and the Gresham Schools Building to the youth in our communities. We engaged youth throughout the community by partnering with youth-serving community organizations and helped develop and facilitate youth community engagements on our policy recommendations for addressing chronic absenteeism and youth engagement in school and after school programs. The MYC continues to build relationships with youth to hear their perspectives on community issues. Committees are evaluated and realigned at the annual mid-year retreat in February based on feedback provided by the community, MYC sponsors, and youth commissioners.

The MYC does most of its community work in three designated committees: Education/Youth Voice, Sustainability, and Youth Against  Violence. The most notable projects and achievements of these committees during the 2015-2016 program year include:

Education/Youth Voice Committee

  • The Youth Candidate Forum, hosted by the committee at Benson Polytechnic High School.
  • Partnership with Portland City Commissioner Steve Novick to inform youth and adult leaders about the importance of pushing back high school start times.

Sustainability Committee

  • Admission of two committee members into TriMet's Transit Equity Advisory Committee (TEAC), and continuation of the effort to expand transit passes for youth in Multnomah County.
  • Meetings with Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury, Commissioner Diane McKeel, Commissioner Judy Shiprack, OPAL's Youth Environmental Justice Alliance (YEJA), and the P:EAR Art Programs Coordinator, to gather information about youth houselessness and ways to fund youth transit passes.

Youth Against Violence Committee

  • Creation of a fourth workshop in their Youth & Police Workshop series.
  • A presentation on YAV's work at Portland State University's Stand Against Violence Choir Concert.
  • A $5000 grant from the Oregon Community Foundation.