Challenges faced by our youth.

By Stewart G. Chen

Awareness is the key in getting our youth actively engaged in the community.

Having raised my two children, I know how stressful the lives of young people can be. Not only do they have to fulfill their responsibilities at home and at school, they also have to deal with the problems and challenges of growing up and finding their own identity. However, I truly believe that the youth are our future and they need to care about what's going on around them. They also need to realize that they can make a difference.

The internet and social media have given the youth avenues to express themselves and interact with a very broad community and I would like to tap into this resource and expertise. If we can motivate our young people to become active participants in our community and become agents of change themselves, I'm certain that they can find creative ways of using cyber technology to further their causes.

I plan to further encourage youth participation in our community by extending more invitations to young people to participate and help out in our community programs. I aim to seek the help of schools, libraries, and local organizations to spread the word and offer such opportunities. I plan to participate in school career days and recruit young people to join any board and/or commission that interest them. I also plan to work with local schools and see if the time spent on boards and commissions can count towards the students' required community service hours. The city can also sponsor local radio and/or TV programs where the young people are mostly in charge. These programs will focus on the local news, personalities, and issues. Professionals will be available to guide them and assist them but they will drive the content and the format. I think this would be a good medium and outlet for their creative energy while providing them an opportunity to learn more about their community and acquire skills that can be used in future careers.