DATE: September 16, 2024
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Stefan Chatwin, City Manager
FROM: Derek Schweigart, Parks and Recreation Director
Tiffany Oren, Recreation Manager
Madeline Koval, Recreation Coordinator
DEPARTMENT: Parks and Recreation
SUBJECT: APPOINTMENT OF FIFTEEN MEMBERS TO THE YOUTH
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that City Council approve the attached resolution appointing the following fifteen members to the Youth Advisory Committee to annual full terms on the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) for the 2024-2025 school year.
Name, School, Grade
Medha Chellapilla, Bowditch Middle School, 8
Jakob Gowdy, Hillsdale High School, 10
*Kiana Gowdy, Hillsdale High School, 12
*Aanvi Gupta, Aragon High School, 12
*Amperly Hom, San Mateo High School, 11
Anoushka Kashyap, San Mateo High school, 10
Navya Kayath, San Mateo High School, 9
*Emily Liu, Hillsdale High School, 12
*Emily Meng, Burlingame High School, 11
*Isha Misra, San Mateo High School, 10
Raneem Motalib, San Mateo High School, 11
*Nolan Quan, Hillsdale High School, 10
Meilin Rife, Aragon High School, 11
*Lian Wang, Aragon High School, 12
*Francesca Wesley, San Mateo High School, 12
* denotes returning members
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff conducted interviews of all new and returning applicants. Staff reviewed a total of 37 applicants for YAC for the 2024-2025 school year. Based on the interview process and evaluation, staff recommends the above 15 applicants be appointed to the YAC for the 2024-2025 school year.
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS
YAC was developed to encourage greater participation of youth within Foster City. The Committee’s goal is to explore teen issues and report recommendations and results to City Council.
YAC has been operating successfully with 15 members (down from 25), since 2011.
The decrease in committee size was supported by City Council, feeling that this number would continue to effectively involve a large cross section of the youth/teen community. YAC is large enough to efficiently plan and implement activities; all members can actively participate and work as a team; and the Parks and Recreation Department staff liaison is able to spend more time guiding and advising each individual member. Staff and YAC members saw a need to create the classification of ‘Member- at-Large’ positions due to the overwhelming interest in being involved in YAC activities.
Members-at-Large do not sign the YAC commitment contract and do not have voting privileges. They do, however, attend meetings. The addition of Members-at-Large meets the needs of the Foster City youth when they cannot commit to attending eighty percent of the required committee meetings.
The process for choosing YAC committee members includes reviewing applications with questions that focus on the applicant’s involvement in school and community activities. The following criteria are used to select applicants:
•Outstanding level of commitment in previous years serving on the YAC •School Representation
•Grade Representation
•Involvement in community activities
•Interview
This year, staff liaison, Madeline Koval, conducted interviews for the YAC. Of the 51 applications received, 37 candidates scheduled an interview to assess their interest and alignment with the committee's goals. Overall, the process highlighted the importance of effective outreach and careful evaluation to select committee members.
There are 15 YAC applicants recommended for approval. Upon City Council approval, YAC would have a full complement of fifteen active members for the 2024-25 school year.
Staff recommends that the above applicants be appointed as outlined in this staff report.
California Environmental Quality Act
Not Applicable
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.
CITY COUNCIL VISION, MISSION, AND VALUE/PRIORITY AREA
City Council Operations and Improved Community Engagement ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 - Resolution
Attachment 2 - Contract
Attachment 3 - Application