2025 Youth
Leadership
Summit Report
Your paragraph
text ATTACHMENT #1
2025 Youth Leadership Summit Report | ii
City Council
David Newman, Mayor
Mikey Taylor, Mayor Pro Tem
Al Adam, Councilmember
Bob Engler, Councilmember
C. Tie Gutierrez, Councilmember
City of Thousand Oaks 2024-25 Youth Commission
Benjamin Glaubke, Chair Jane Staley, Vice Chair Rafan Ahmed Isabelle Cipriano Rayna Doshi Torrey Hacioglu
Nithilan Jeyakumar Chenya Kwon Alex Lee
Brielle Levesque Olivia Little Mia Oscanoa
Inika Vellore
Sarah Mailes, Community Services Analyst, City of Thousand Oaks www.toaks.gov/youth
[email protected]
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Special thanks to
• Youth Commission Planning Committee: Benjamin Glaubke, Jane Staley, Rayna Doshi, Torrey Hacioglu, Brielle Levesque, and Olivia Little • Conejo Valley Unified School District and Thousand Oaks Teen Center for inviting students to apply
• Community leaders and student participants who made this summit possible
Community Leader Attendees
City of Thousand Oaks ( CTO): Mayor David Newman, City Councilmember Bob Engler, City Councilmember C. Tie Gutierrez, City Manager Andrew Powers, Assistant City Manager Ingrid Hardy, Deputy City Manager Akbar Alikhan
Conejo Recreation and Park District (CRPD): Board Vice Chair Nellie Cusworth, Board Director Ashley Orozco, Recreation and Community Services Director Rochelle Callis
Conejo Valley Unified School District (CVUSD): President Lisa Powell, Vice President Karen Sylvester, Clerk Bill Gorback, Board Member Cindy Goldberg, Board Member Lauren Gill, Superintendent Dr. Mark McLaughlin, Deputy Superintendent Business Services Dr. Victor Hayek, Assistant, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Kenneth Loo, Director of High School Nicole Judd, Director of Student Support Services Christina Harrison
Thousand Oaks Police Department: Police Chief Jeremy Paris
Thousand Oaks Community Leaders: Field Representative for Assemblywoman Irwin’s Office Hannah Lee, Vice President, Community, Employer & Government Relations at Los Robles Health System Amy Commans, President/CEO of the Greater Conejo Chamber of Commerce Danielle Borja, Disability Access Manager at the County of Ventura Danielle Anderson
Student Attendees
Thank you to all the students who participated in the discourse. We appreciate your effort during your very busy school week!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
BACKGROUND .............................................................................................................. 1 Summit Overview ..................................................................................................... 1 Summit Format ......................................................................................................... 1 Demographics .......................................................................................................... 3 DISCOVERIES AND OUTCOMES.................................................................................. 4 Overview of Discoveries ........................................................................................... 4 Summary of Outcomes .......................................................................................... 20 NEXT STEPS ................................................................................................................ 23
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BACKGROUND
The City of Thousand Oaks Youth Commission was established in 1985. It consists of 13 members between the ages of 13 -18. The role of the Youth Commission is to serve as an advisory body to the City Council on matters dealing with youth.
The Youth Leadership summit has been a signature biennial event for the Youth Commission since 2002. Beginning this year, the Youth Commission hopes to have the Summit become an annual event. The Youth Leadership Summit is designed to provide youth an opportunity to engage with local leaders to learn from their leadership, as well as to share concerns and ideas . The Summit assists the Youth Commission in setting annual goals. The most recent Youth Leadership Summit was April 9, 2025.
Summit Overview
After several months of planning, the Youth Commission hosted the 2025 Youth Leadership Summit on April 9, 2025. The event included 66 high school and middle school students (including 13 Youth Commissioners), and 24 community leaders.
In planning the evening activities for the Youth Leadership Summit, the Youth Commission’ s goal was to accomplish the following:
• Allow students to have valuable discourse, sharing youth perspectives and ideas with a variety of community leaders.
• Learn how to discuss important matters in a group setting, e.g., be respectful of each other, learn how to engage each other.
• Provide time for students to have organized discussions and input for the City.
Summit Format
Local schools and organizations that serve youth were requested to choose a diverse group of students to fill out an application to be considered for participation in the leadership summit.
In addition to demographic information, students were requested to answer the following questions on the applications:
1. Rank what you think are the biggest issues facing Thousand Oaks youth Today? (Mental Health, Environment, Transportation, School Safety/Bullying, Substance Use, Things to do, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion / Belonging, Social/ Emotional Learning, Negative Impacts of Social Media)
2. What are 3 questions you would like to discuss at the youth summit?
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3. In a sentence or two, what do you hope to gain from this experience?
The goal of this application and these specific questions was two-fold: first, to better understand the youth’s perspective of the problems they are facing, and second, to give the applicants a sense of direction for what this summit aimed to do . The Youth Commission used application responses to develop table assignments and topics for discussion. The schedule for the evening was as follows:
3:30 p.m. Check-In/Group Introductions
4:00 p.m. Welcome
4:10 p.m. Leader Roundtables
5:15 p.m. Dinner
6:20 p.m. Youth-Only Discussion and Report Back
7:45 p.m. Wrap up and Evaluations
Eleven groups of students were formed considering their age and their topics of interest, as submitted on the application. For the Leadership Roundtable Discussions, two community leaders were assigned to each table and every 20 minutes the groups rotated to provide students the opportunity to meet and dialogue with a minimum of six leaders.
Leaders were provided table topics to use for conversation starters and to help facilitate the discussion. Leaders were invited to stay for dinner and continue to speak with youth who had questions.
A Youth Commissioner was responsible to take notes and help facilitate the L eader roundtable discussions and the Youth-Only focus groups and submit a summary of their group’s experience for the compilation and development of this report.
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Demographics
Applications were reviewed, and 7 5 students were invited to attend (62 youth plus 13 Youth Commissioners). Below are school and grade demographics of the 2025 Youth Leadership Summit attendee.
3 22 2
1 2
5 1
2 6
11 11
10 1
2 5
9 3
1 3
1 1
0 2
4 6
8 10
12 Colina MS Los Cerritos
MS
Redwood
MS
Sequoia MS Sycamore
Canyon MS
Other MS Newbury
Park HS
Thousand
Oaks HS
Westlake
HS
Other HS
2025 YLS Attendee Grade and School
7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th
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DISCOVERIES AND OUTCOMES
Overview of Discoveries
During the Leader Roundtable Discussions, students rotated through three sets of leaders to share their ideas and input on a variety of topics. During the Youth-Only discussion, Youth Facilitators worked with their peers to identify the top two-three priority topics within the group to discuss. Highlighted topics are identified below by each facilitator.
Facilitator Commissioner Jane Staley
Leader Round Table 1:
Topic: Social Media Effects of Teens
Students discussed the dangers of social media throughout this round table and mentioned how it is a big distraction when in school. Students also agreed that social media capitalizes on insecurities and is a catalyst for body image issues in teens because teens are trying to meet unrealistic expectations. Even though it is hard to regulate social media, students came up with the solution that phones should be regulated during school.
They also mentioned how they appreciated wellness centers in school because usually there is someone they can talk to in there.
Leader Round Table 2:
Topic: Motivation in School
Students agreed that the school system should offer more guidance on course curriculum especially for honors and AP classes. Students were advocating for teachers to teach curriculums based on the content rather than just learning the material to do well on a test. Even though it may be hard to regulate every teacher individually, students mentioned that a solution to this problem would improve mental health among our youth and motivate students to learn for more than just a grade.
Leader Round Table 3:
Topic: Substance use in schools
Students discussed how they have seen the effects of substance abuse among their peers and how many of the measures to stop substance abuse in our school systems are not effective. For example, many of the students suggested that the regulated hall passes do not prevent kids from using substances, and ultimately make other kids stressed out when they have to use the bathroom. One solution that they came up with was that schools should help take kids out of environments that make them rely on substances.
Another solution that they came up with was to educate parents and teens on the health impacts that smoking or doing drugs can have on adolescents.
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Facilitator Commissioner Rafan Ahmed
Leader Roundtable Summary
Q: What activities or programs can improve youth engagement in local spaces? • Add more sports options at local centers like cricket and badminton • Offer activities beyond basketball to attract different interests • Improve transportation and accessibility to the Teen Center • Ensure events are promoted through flyers or school announcements
Q: What can help youth feel more prepared for life after high school? • Offer more discussions and resources about college and career planning • Teach practical life skills like time management and conflict resolution • Provide safe environments to talk about mental health and social -emotional learning
• Encourage self-expression through art and community service opportunities
Q: What can be done to address youth concerns about food and health? • Educate students on nutrition and food sustainability • Improve lunchroom environments by addressing cleanliness and waste issues • Provide accessible spaces for youth to eat and socialize
Q: How can we make technology use healthier for youth?
• Guide students to use phones primarily for emergencies and studying • Encourage healthy habits around phone and social media use • Promote balance by offering engaging in-person activities • Treat AI and social media like tools that can be helpful or harmful depending on use
Q: What are general concerns youth have about their community? • Not enough hangout spots that feel welcoming
• Mall atmosphere is changing and needs updates that appeal to youth • Youth feel discouraged from speaking up due to fear of punishment • Time pressure is a major challenge affecting school and personal life
Youth Only Focus Group Summary:
We started our conversation by talking about mental health challenges like stress from school, comparing ourselves to others, and pressure from parents to get good grades.
Bullying, social media, and mean comments—both online and in person—also affect how students feel about themselves. To help with this, we suggested more access to counseling, wellness centers, and therapy. We also think students should hear more encouraging messages like “You matter,” and have safe spaces to rest, journal, or talk
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with friends. Reaching out for support and offering it to others was one of the main things we felt could really help.
The second topic we discussed was the lack of quality recreation spaces in our community. Many of our sports fields are bumpy and not taken care of, and there just isn’t enough room for all the teams that want to play. We also think there should be more courts and spaces for different types of sports. Some ideas we had to fix this include upgrading and maintaining the fields better, dedicating more parks and spaces for recreation, and starting more organizations that support a wide range of activities. We also think the Teen Center could be improved to make it more fun and welcoming for everyone.
Facilitator Commissioner Isabelle Cipriano
• School Safety: Youth discussed recent events at CVUSD campuses and the lack of action from the school district both in terms of physical and emotional safety.
Students felt that campuses are too easily accessible to the public and feel unsafe in areas such as the locker rooms and bathrooms. They also agreed that the anonymous tip line for CVUSD is not advertised enough as most students do not know it exists.
• Mental Health: Students felt that mental health is a prevalent issue across most campuses and can lead to issues like addiction. Youth discussed how due to heavy workloads and extreme pressure to excel in school and get into college, students have poor mental health and extreme stress levels. Youth agree that the wellness centers across CVUSD are helpful for managing stress, but not a solution to resolve it.
• Technology: The group discussed how the impacts of new technology are both beneficial and harmful in a classroom setting. Due to the increased usage of AI in classrooms, students feel that academic dishonesty is being normalized and that our generation will lose criti cal thinking skills learned through the classroom.
Students believe teachers should have a checking system for AI and that the district should teach students and administrators how to properly use AI rather than not use it at all since there is no way to fully ban it.
• Transportation: Students discussed how while our city has a transportation system, it is not practical and not advertised enough for the youth. Students believe that the transport system should include more scheduled stops around schools during the times the schools are dismissed as well as be advertised through social media platforms to the youth. We also discussed how if students knew more about the website or the app, they may be more inclined to use public transportation.
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• Substance Abuse: The group talked about how substance abuse is an ongoing issue at our schools and how students are frequently caught and punished for drugs, vaping, and alcohol abuse. Students believe that rather than punishment, students should receive counseling and therapy on how to handle addiction. We also discussed how schools should be more focused on why people vape so that they can stop the problem of addiction at the root.
• Social Media: Students discussed how social media impacts student self- perception and can lead to more stress over college since it sets unrealistic expectations for students that can cause more harm than good.
Facilitator Commissioner Rayna Doshi
1. Mental Health and Wellness Centers: The youth shared different experiences with school wellness centers. Some felt like going to the center made them feel embarrassed because of the stigma, while others said it really helped, and they used it often. There were a lot of suggestions to make the centers more visible and comfortable to use. Ideas included having a more discreet pass system, increasing publicity through events like “WOW Week,” and having more outreach from staff to students. One big idea was that encouraging free and easy use, with less stigma and more resources, could help more youth take advantage of wellness support.
2. Academic Stress and Competition: A lot of the youth talked about feeling stressed because of AP and CP classes and how competitive everything feels. The pressure to always compare grades or live up to high expectations was a big topic. Some said it might h elp to not constantly show grades and to rethink things like valedictorian qualifications. Focusing more on personal growth instead of comparing to others could make a big difference in reducing stress.
3. Vaping in Schools: Vaping was seen as a really common issue, especially in school bathrooms. Youth mentioned it’s hard to control because it’s so easy to hide. Some ideas that came up were using bathroom check -in apps, giving stronger consequences, and doi ng more education around why vaping is harmful. A big takeaway was that vaping is connected to other things, like stress or mental health, and that fixing those root causes might help more than just punishing kids. There were also ideas like not replacing one bad habit with another and focusing on early prevention.
4. Environmental Concerns – Food Waste and Composting: There was a major focus on how cafeterias could be better about food waste. Youth talked about composting systems and how a lot of people don’t use them because they’re not clear or easy to find. Some suggested partnering with Athens to improve composting, putting trash
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cans in smarter places, and spreading awareness so more people know how to use the bins. One idea was that step count affects behavior, so where bins are placed really matters.
5. Technology, Social Media, and AI in Education: The youth brought up how AI is starting to show up more in school and how it’s being used by both students and teachers. Some said AI detectors stress people out and don’t always work, but others were excited about using AI as a tool to help learn. The group talked about how it’s important to teach responsible use and even suggested having a class to learn how to use AI in a smart way. People agreed that AI should support learning, not replace teachers, and tha t we need clear rules so everyone knows what’s okay and what’s not.
Facilitator Commissioner Torrey Hacioglu
Leader Roundtable with Ingrid Hardy
Students identified mental health as a top issue, worsened by excessive phone use and lack of personal hobbies. They suggested promoting passion- based activities and enhancing Wellness Centers. To address bullying, they recommended creating inclusive clubs and empowering students to speak up. On substance use, they noted peer pressure, misinformation about long- term effects, and skepticism of school smoke detectors. Social media was linked to addiction, comparison, and pressure to impress.
Leader Roundtable with Nelly Cusworth and Danielle Borja This group highlighted the uses of the Teen Center with the features like a skatepark and gaming room. They raised concerns about phone use during class and noted the downsides of social media replacing real -life interactions. Volunteering was seen as a positive outlet, and stress from AP exams and finals was discussed. Students called for better time management support to cope with academic pressure.
Leader Roundtable with Cindy Goldberg and Nicole Judd
Students expressed concern over limited and unhealthy school lunch options. On college admissions, they emphasized applying where they’d feel happy, not just where is prestigious. Substance use issues included unsafe restrooms along with negative benefits of peer pressure. Students called for real-life education on consequences rather than scare tactics.
Youth Only Discussion
Our group focused on two major issues: mental health and substance abuse. We agreed that mental health is heavily impacted by academic pressure, bullying, and social media.
Students feel overwhelmed by high expectations from school and parents, especially during college application season. Bullying, including cyberbullying, adds to this stress,
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and many students struggle with the pressure to compare themselves to others or “fit in.” Social media use leads to dopamine addiction and a constant need to impress.
On substance abuse, we noted that vaping and drug use are too normalized among teens.
Substances are often used at parties or even in school bathrooms, and students don’t always understand the long- term consequences. Peer pressure, easy access, and misleading social media content contribute to the issue. We recommend early education, realistic scare tactics, and prevention efforts like improved smoke detection.
Facilitator Commissioner Chenya Kwon
Leader Roundtable with Community Leaders Bob Engler and Hannah Lee The students and community leaders had a diverse discussion about social media, school environmental concerns, substance abuse, mental health, and potential solutions for each of them. For social media, the table responded to both concerns amongst the students regarding a fixation on social media from their peers as well as recent policy changes to cell phone usage in LAUSD. Generally, there was agreement that there was a negative influence from social media and phones in a classroom setting. However, there was not a clear consensus on solutions, even amongst just the students. Some felt that it was important to follow LAUSD’s more restrictive approach while others cautioned against reactionary resistance that may cause, instead suggesting incorporation of c ell phones into instructional learning. For school environmental concerns, some students had worries that food waste went unattended, but the community leaders shared various measures the CVUSD district did take that reduced food waste behind the scenes. F inally, there was a discussion surrounding substance abuse and mental health. Past approaches such as vape detectors were generally seen as a dead- end, but other solutions such as changes to ventilation (to mitigate impact on third-party students) and a future bill to ban single use vapes were also discussed.
Leader Roundtable with Community Leaders Lauren Gill and Kenny Loo The students and community leaders had a focused conversation about bullying and school culture. Some students shared anecdotes from their schools with bullying they or their friends had witnessed. Several solutions were discussed, ranging from a staff -level to a student-level. At a staff/administration level, there was discussion about creating a culture of safety from the top- down by ensuring school adults were involved and had training to better handle situations of bullying. In addition, there were also suggestions about more advertising the confidential reporting form to encourage students to speak up who were otherwise unable to and suggestions for better leadership teaching in lower elementary schools to foster a bully -free future. On the student side , there was support for encouraging upperclassmen and lowerclassmen solidarity and community. In addition to this conversation, there were recommendations made for more summits that involved
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both students and community adults (like the YLS event itself) as well as desiring more candid conversations about the effects of substance abuse to redress that.
Leader Roundtable with Community Leaders Drew Powers and David Newman Students and community leaders explored substance abuse, social media, and city activities extensively at this table. First, the conversation around substance abuse centered around approaches to reduce, including better communication with adults (parents and in school) and looking into why students turned to substances and removing the negative stimulus when possible. Secondly, the discussion of social media covered the technology’s goods and bads. On the positive side, there were comments that social media was becoming similar to an a rt form and was a net positive for connecting with long-distance friends and relatives. On the negative, points were made that it creates misinformation even at a local level, there was heightened peer pressure/FOMO, and there was a general absence of media literacy amongst its users. Finally, the discussion concluded with changes coming to city activities. The students desired to see more youth- targeted businesses (particularly in malls). The community leaders then shared city updates, including coming changes to the Oaks Mall as well as a brief overview of the renovations coming to downtown Thousand Oaks.
Youth-Only Discussion
Issue #1 T.O. Downtown: Youth discussed desires to see specific additions, including coffee shops, fitness centers, food court, as well as a small tram system throughout the new downtown area. In addition to that, they also discussed general themes and criteria they wanted to see. There was interest in more affordable and experience- based attractions, collaborations with businesses and schools (particularly with the new amphitheater), and accessibility. However, there was pushback on the addition to ‘luxury’ shops, namely trendy businesses like Erewhon.
Issue #2: Substance Abuse : Youth primarily discussed mitigation of substance abuse amongst peers. This focus sprung out of a general concern that harsh and punitive responses to teen substance abuse would backfire. There was a push for measures that emphasized rehabilitation, partic ularly by phasing out punishments for students caught with substances and instead turning to counseling sessions as a response. In a similar vein, there were also desires for increasing awareness about anonymous resources for those impacted by substance abuse. At the same time, there were desires for stronger detection of substances. This included measures like better vape alarms and bringing in K-9s in certain situations.
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Facilitator Commissioner Alex Lee
1st Leader Roundtable Discussion
The first table discussion the youth at my table was with Mr. Loo and Ms. Gill as our guests from CVUSD. For the first few minutes, Mr. Loo and Ms. Gill explained to us of their respective roles within the school, as well as the balance of power within the board.
They talked about how they coordinate their actions based on the district’s vision and have implemented numerous bilingual programs, art programs, DEI programs, and much more to support students that require additional services. We then talked abou t the current student situations within schools such as an increase and fluctuation in competition that leads to stress and anxiety for many, and discussed how the district can address such issues through programs such as the wellness center. Finally, we t alked about substance use in High School and although most of the youth in my table have not encountered a concerning amount of drug usage in school yet, they were aware of substance use issues present in their schools and discussed the negative impacts of substance use in those who use substance and those around them.
2 nd Leader Roundtable Discussion
Our next table discussion was with Mayor Newman and Mr. Powers. We discussed matters concerning youth related problems and issues in the City of Thousand Oaks, and the overwhelming consensus was for there to be more youth related activities or locations within Thousand Oaks. We discussed about possibly creating pockets of density and concentrating some locations with restaurants, malls, etc. where youth can play and hang out. With that the youth also discussed that having a better and more transparent transportation in Thousand Oaks was needed as well.
3 rd Leader Roundtable Discussion
Our third and final table discussion was with CRPD with Ms. Callis and CRPD Board Member Ms. Orozco. We discussed CRPD’s goals and plans , including their strategy of providing a park for every resident in Thousand Oaks in a walkable distance of one mile, as well as how they obtain funding through our taxes and grants to fund activities for the youth. An interesting fact we learned was that the board for CRPD was established 2 years before the City of Thousand Oaks itself which signified the importance and emphasis of greenspace in this community. The youth then talked about the recent phone act signed by Gov. Newsom and how such act limited student’s ability to communicate and spend time within school.
Youth Only Discussion:
The two main topics of discussion that the youth at my table agreed to discuss about was mental health and substance use. Regarding mental health, we believed that there were multiple factors that lead up to a poor mental. Health including stress caused by increased competition, academic burdens and parental expectations. We understood that mental health can impact one’s confidence in school which reflects poorly in school. We thought
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that mental health in our schools can be improved by schools providing lessons or classes to educate about mental health and spread awareness of resources available to students.
We also discussed about substance usage in school and how substance usage has slowly become a huge problem in school environment, especially high schools. We believed that many students are peer pressured into taking substances as well as stress related factors or lack of awareness and curiosity. Substance use can not only impact one’s physical health but also their mental health as shown through mood swings and erratic behaviors. We believed schools should provide more exposure for students and create more programs especially in high school environments.
Facilitator Commissioner Brielle Levesque
• Mental Health: Youth agreed there was a lack of access to school wellness centers, especially in middle schools. These spaces are seen as valuable environments where students can talk to trusted adults. However, many middle schools still do not offer them as they are usually student-run clubs, which students do not feel comfortable opening up to. Counseling and therapy services were also discussed, with students expressing a desire for more accessible resources and a hope to reduce the stereotype that often surrounds seeking help. They all agreed that this is not something to be ashamed of. Many students advocated for more frequent brain breaks and opportunities to go outside during the school day and class, agreeing that even short moments of fresh air or m ovement can have a significant impact on their focus during class/when taking tests. The challenge of balancing schoolwork with sports, clubs, and other extracurricular activities came up a lot, with students sharing how difficult it can be to meet their own expectations of themselves and academic expectations while still participating in the hobbies they enjoy.
• Social Media: Pressures caused by the excessive use of social media were another major topic of concern. Students described how constant exposure to targeted content and the pressure to keep up with trends can lead to feelings of exclusion, anxiety, depression and low esteem. Many youth reported experiencing insecurities from comparing themselves to others online or from feeling left out of certain social circles. Additionally, the lack of enforced phone policies during class time has led to many distractions during class. Students find it hard to focus when their peers are off task. Youth also have an increased screen time, which contributes to poor mental health and declining academic performance. Students specifically spoke about cyberbullying and social media addiction, both of which have become common issues in their daily lives, impacting their confidence, focus, and overall happiness. They hope that schools enforce rules to li mit phone use,
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and hope that parents are able to realize the harm that social media can create in a teenagers life.
• Use of AI: The use of artificial intelligence in schools and everyday life was also discussed. While many students were excited about the potential of AI to assist with schoolwork, creativity, or practice quizzes (Khan Academy and/or Quizlet), others voiced concerns about overreliance and the possibility of AI replacing critical thinking skills in students. The conversation was a mix of curiosity and caution, with students wanting more education on how to use these tools responsibly. Half of the schools that the youth went to have no enforcement for which websites students were and were not allowed to use. Many admitted their peers use popular AI tools, like chat gpt, to complete almost every single one of their in-class assignments and homework.
• Substance Use: My group was made up predominantly of middle school students, and when the topic of substance use came up, most agreed that it has not yet become a major issue at their age. They shared that while they are aware many students struggle with addictions of drugs and alcohol, they do not see many of their peers actively using or abusing substances on their middle schools campuses. Most felt that substance use becomes a more serious concern in high school, when exposure and peer pressure tend to l ead to an increase in usage.
For now, they believe other issues like stress, social media, managing responsibilities, and hormones are more major concerns.
• Public Safety: City safety, especially on public buses, was brought up by many students. Although only one youth in the group had experience riding city buses, many expressed concerns about feeling uncomfortable or uncertain to travel alone on the bus. Stu dents were even weary at the thought of traveling in a group of teenagers without adult supervision. Students emphasized the need for more visible safety measures such as increased security or surveillance to help them feel protected. In addition to concerns about buses, there was interest in creating safer, teen friendly transportation options. Several students proposed the idea of an app specifically designed for teenagers to plan carpooling with friends to popular destinations like the beach, Topanga, or The Oaks Mall. They felt this would provide a safer, more fun, and more reliable way to get around.
• Teen Center: Outside of school, youth shared that they really enjoy spending time at the Teen Center. Most go play basketball there with friends. Recent events like Battle of the Bands and the New Years party were also popular with the middle school audience since they provided a space for middle and high schoolers to relax, socialize, and express their talent. These kinds of community activities were loved by the youth, they offered a break from academic and social pressures.
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Overall, students emphasized the value of having safe, welcoming environments where they can spend time outside of school hours with their friends.
Facilitator Commissioner Olivia Little
The Youth Leadership Summit 2025 was very successful in gathering information, new ideas, and issues discussed with local leaders at the round tables. All participants in the group I was a part of grades seven through eight, were both engaged in conversation and passionate about all of their ideas. A few main topics covered included connections between high school and middle school run extracurriculars, middle school elective options, after school transportation, the GATE program, and lack of information about events for youth.
Extracurricular activities, including both clubs and sports run through the school, are not given as much attention in middle school as in high school. One student from Sequoia middle school explained that he is a part of the robotics club. He says that for robotics, they do have a teacher supervisor but are not given instruction in the club, leading students to lose interest and not learn while devoting their time to this activity. One solution another student came up with relates to her experience on the Sycamore Canyon debate team. She said that apart from their supervisor, they have coaches who are students on the high school debate team from both Newbury Park High School and Westlake High School. They are very motivated to teach the middle schoolers and make it a more involved program overall. With this idea, the group decided that there should be a stronger connection between middle school and high school programs so the middle school programs are able to advance and get more kids interested. Along with this, the high schoolers are also benefited because they are able to receive volunteer hours while participating in an activity that they enjoy.
Going along with the subject of clubs, the leaders brought attention to the GATE (gifted and talented) program, which is an after school club that meets every few weeks and brings in people of specific jobs and hosts exciting activities for students. This program does require an invitation depending on grades, however students from various middle schools said the program does not have many participants due to other extracurriculars.
They believe that the program should be more inclusive surrounding grades to gain more participants. Students who attend this program gave very positive feedback and appreciate the effort teachers put into keeping this program running.
At another round table discussion, one student brought up the subject of school electives.
All members at the table agreed that middle school, especially sixth and seventh graders, are given minimal elective choices. Two students from Sycamore Canyon said they were only given music options, some of which needed prior experience, or an elective called “careers” where they learn about different career options, which despite being an
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excellent option for some students, didn’t capture the attention of others. One suggestion that was made as a period for in school clubs, which would benefit people who are unable to attend clubs due to after school priorities. Another suggested a study hall offered to those who take A -period PE (PE before school, meaning they have two electives).
Multiple more ideas were exchanged, but one suggestion that was agreed upon to be effective was sending out a google-survey asking students what they would be interested in learning about for electives. This will help teachers focus on elective subjects that can benefit students later and prepare them for some high school level electives and keep students interested in what they are being taught.
Finally, the group brought up after school transportation at various round table discussions. Although the Thousand Oaks City buses are unable to pick students up directly from school lots, bus stops are able to be set near the school (for example, the stop at Boarchard near Newbury Park High School). Stops that they suggested included stops closer to student neighborhoods, the Thousand Oaks Mall, and the Teen Center.
Some students are not able to drive home from school due to working parents or other situations, leading some students to walk over a mile to get home while carrying backpacks that are heavy with school supplies as some middle schools are not provided with lockers (for example, Sycamore Canyon). By placing bus stops near the schools, buses will be able to bring middle school students closer to their neighborhoods, relieving stress off of their backs from backpacks and causing less stress for parents who have to worry about their kids walking long distances from school. Along with this issue, neighborhoods such as Dos Vientos, have a lack of areas for teens to meet and hang out, leading them to take over the playground meant for younger kids or causing disturbances in smaller businesses in the neighborhoods. A recent issue had been dirt biking and large groups causing disruptions in businesses. As a way to resolve this problem, buses can take kids' directions from school to designated areas for conjugation (the group suggested the Thousand Oaks Mall and the Teen Center as two main areas of interest). Another benefit is that the Thousand Oaks bus services are affordable to all, a student from Sequoia explained that his school does have a bus system, but they have to pay to ride them.
The final subject covered was the lack of information for events, such as events hosted by the Teen Center. As issues involving lack of area for teen conjugation were being discussed, the community leaders at the round table suggested the Thousand Oaks Teen Center and began to describe various events that they have put on and upcoming events.
The young leaders at the table were interested in these events but had not heard of them prior. In order to get the word out, one suggestion was to have the teen center send the information for events to principals or whoever runs the school paper so the information can be in the weekly newsletter. Another idea was to give flyers to schools that teachers can hand out and hang in their classrooms. This will improve attendance at Teen Center Events and keep teens from conjugating in public areas that may disturb others.
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In conclusion, the young leaders in this group presented issues and provided solutions and ideas in order to help improve school and enjoyment in Thousand Oaks for teens, especially focusing on middle school. All opinions and thoughts expressed were very helpful to gain a new perspective on issues regarding school, transportation, and life outside of school. Thank you to the local leaders who participated in the round tables and for listening to the voices of the youth.
Facilitator Commissioner Mia Oscanoa
First Leader Roundtable
Community Leaders:
Ashley Orozco – CRPD Board of Directors, Newbury Park Representative Rochelle Callis – Community Services Director
Discussion Summary:
● Q: What is your role in the community, and how can students contribute? Responses focused on collaborative community involvement and input from youth on local initiatives. ● Q: Who is responsible for maintaining athletic fields (e.g., baseball fields)? A: At the high school level, schools are responsible for maintaining their own athletic facilities. ● Q: What physical spaces do teens need most? A: Teen-specific quiet study spaces are essential due to increasing academic pressure. There's a need for better awareness and promotion of resources like AP study support.
● Q: Are parks in Thousand Oaks considered dangerous? A: Concerns include neighborhood watch limitations and parental restrictions. Mention of local bike shops and maintaining access to bikes came up, suggesting mobility concerns. ● Q: Use of public spaces for health services during COVID -19? A: Local medical providers partnered with the city to temporarily convert spaces (e.g., Global Center) into vaccination clinics.
Second Leader Roundtable
Community Leaders:
Karen Sylvester – CVUSD Board Member
Christina Harrison – Director of Student Support Services, CVUSD Discussion Summary:
● Q: Who maintains school athletic fields now? A: Historically, coaches handled field maintenance. Now, dedicated groundskeepers manage this, with support from staff as needed.
● Q: How do you manage mental health personally? A: Leaders emphasized open communication with family, weekly scheduling, and using wellness centers and social support at school.
● Q: What mental health resources are available to students? A: Counselors have curated resource lists. Wellness centers on campuses are also available.
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● Comment: Concerns about stigma around mental health. Students mentioned embarrassment, fear, and social isolation caused by stigma and social media. ● Q: How is the district addressing academic dishonesty and its impact on student well - being? A: Possible measures include restricting AI tools like ChatGPT on CVUSD Wi -Fi and enhancing teacher training on academic integrity.
● Q: How has the phone policy affected students? A: Mixed feedback, though largely positive. No significant behavioral differences noted.
Third Leader Roundtable
Community Leaders:
Ingrid Hardy – Assistant City Manager
Connie Tie Gutierrez – Thousand Oaks City Council Member Discussion Summary:
● Q: How can high school students better engage with the community? A: Suggestions included creating meaningful community service opportunities, promoting city agendas to youth, and offering platforms like public comments or SDAC speaking roles. ● Q: How do city council members engage with students? A: By attending school clubs and directly interacting with students.
● Q: Are internships available at the city level? A: Yes, opportunities are shared via Canvas announcements and through school clubs.
● Q: How do leaders handle challenges and setbacks? A: Examples given included adjusting bus route times based on student needs, showing adaptability and responsiveness.
Youth-Only Discussions
● Mental Health: Students emphasized the urgent need for expanded mental health resources, reduced stigma, and stronger school -based support systems. Through thoughtful discussion, they identified how school culture and academic pressures significantly contribute to mental health challenges. One particular concern was the impact of academic dishonesty —not just on academic integrity, but on students' emotional well- being. To address this, students proposed stricter policies around academic dishonesty alongside enhanced training for teachers to better recognize and respond to evolving forms of cheating.
● Civic Engagement: The discussion centered on empowering youth to take a more active role in local government, increasing transparency, and improving access to civic opportunities such as internships, club outreach, and public comment participation.
Students identified several key barriers, including limited access to public spaces, concerns about safety, and a general lack of awareness around how to get involved.
Additionally, they presented that students may not always understand the benefits of civic engagement. For example, one meaningful incentive discussed was the State Seal of Civic Engagement, which is awarded on a high school diploma upon graduation. Finally, students proposed solutions such as lowering the cost of memberships for community
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spaces, adjusting bus routes for better access, and establishing a student -led publicity committee to raise awareness about civic opportunities.
Facilitator Commissioner Inika Vellore
Mental Health
The students discussed ways to improve belonging in school, such as bringing awareness to wellness centers and creating something for outside school hours (like WeTip). It was concluded that academic and social pressures are the underlying causes of mental health problems. Students said that improving wellness center advertisement and accessibility would help with this.
Social Media and AI
Students said that the main problem with AI is that people gravitate towards AI usage, such as ChatGPT, for problem -solving and schoolwork. Some mentioned solutions for social media misuse were anti -bullying campaigns, connecting to students about cyberbullying scenarios, and phone restriction/policies, such as phone caddies.
Legislature is also trying to pass a bill to mitigate social media usage for minors.
Academic Pressure and Press to Pursue “Traditional” Paths.
The main solution brought up was bringing awareness to other options for students.
Students mentioned that publicizing resources and raising awareness about community colleges would help. Also, they said that adding more trade school classes for more options, and advertising events such as CTE fairs more would help.
School
The main issues regarding schools that were discussed were parking, safety, and phone usage. One solution brought up was going through SDAC to raise issues and awareness.
Students also brought up the fact that maybe completely restricting phone usage is ba d because students feel safer with their phones with them. Also, making sure people actually understand the problems with cyberbullying would help improve the feeling of security at school.
YOUTH ROUNDTABLES
First, the students at my table discussed the question: “How can we improve transparency about mental health struggles?”. The main ideas that they focused on were social media, academic pressure, and peer pressure. Regarding academic pressure, the students decided that the main problems were competitive extracurriculars, workload, and teaching/learning styles. They decided that the best solutions would be to advocate for focusing on your passion, teaching time management, and a peer support system.
Regarding social media, the students decided that the main problem was substance abuse. They decided the best solution would be to advocate for students focusing on
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individualism. Regarding peer pressure, they decided the main problems were comparing and substance abuse. They decided the best solutions would be to raise awareness and focus on wellness.
Then, the students at my table discussed the question: “How can we make schools a safe environment?”. The main idea that they focused on was the idea of not feeling safe. The students decided that the best solutions would be to increase campus security, show real- world impacts of bullying, raise awareness on the negative effects of substance abuse, and show different ways to resolve conflicts instead of resorting to fights.
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Summary of Outcomes
The summit provided a platform for students to voice their concerns and propose actionable ideas on issues affecting their daily lives. The following section summarizes the above facilitator reports, outlining the recurring issues and youth proposed solutions that emerged across the leader roundtable discussions and the youth-only sessions.
1. Mental Health and Wellness
Recurring Issues
• Widespread academic stress and anxiety, especially related to grades, AP coursework, and college admissions.
• Stigma around accessing school -based mental health resources like wellness centers and counseling services.
• Need for mental health education and transparency around emotional well-being. • Youth reported feelings of isolation due to bullying (including cyberbullying) and competitive culture.
Youth Proposed Solutions
• Expand and destigmatize access to wellness centers, including especially at middle schools.
• Promote mental health weeks, discreet pass systems, and teacher referrals to support use of available resources.
• Offer curriculum -based lessons and peer -led support networks around mental wellness.
• Training to better identify and respond to bullying and increase visibility of anonymous reporting tools.
• Promote peer leadership, inclusive clubs, and upperclassman mentoring, as well as high schoolers mentoring middle schoolers.
2. Substance Use and Addiction
Recurring Issues
• Vaping and drug use are common on school campuses, particularly in restrooms. • Current punitive approaches (e.g., suspension) are viewed as ineffective. • Peer pressure, stress, and social media glamorization contribute to the problem.
Youth Proposed Solutions
• Shift from punishment to rehabilitation- focused responses (e.g., counseling, therapy), and get at the root of why youth use substances or vape. • Improve health education and parent outreach about substance dangers.
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• Install better vape detection systems and raise awareness of anonymous reporting tools.
3. Technology, Social Media, and AI
Recurring Issues
• Social media negatively impacts self-esteem, focus, and mental health. • AI use (e.g., ChatGPT) is common and youth feel it is often misused for assignments.
• Students are concerned about the loss of critical thinking and academic integrity.
Youth Proposed Solutions:
• Treat AI and social media like tools that can be helpful or harmful depending on use.
• Youth expressed desire for schools to provide clarity around when and how to use AI for assignments, including teach digital literacy and responsible AI use through formal instruction.
• Implement enforceable but flexible phone policies during school hours. • Encourage offline community events to reduce digital overreliance.
4. Academic Pressure and School Curriculum
Recurring Issues
• Pressure to perform academically is intense.
• Overemphasis on traditional 4- year college pathways leads to stress and perceived lack of options.
• There is a desire among youth for more meaningful learning experiences and real- world application.
Youth Proposed Solutions
• Reevaluate grading practices and valedictorian criteria to reduce comparison culture.
• Offer expanded trade school, community college, and CTE options, and increase awareness of these offerings.
• Increase life skills education, time management support, and elective choices (especially at middle school).
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5. Civic Engagement and Community Voice
Recurring Issues
• Youth are interested in community involvement but often lack clarity about how to access opportunities.
Youth Proposed Solutions:
• Increase awareness for volunteer activities, youth internships, club opportunities, and civic participation awards (e.g., California State Seal of Civic Engagement). • Increase youth- led publicity campaigns through school newspapers or clubs to raise awareness about opportunities.
• Host additional summits or student forums with community leadership.
Across all sessions, youth participants demonstrated a deep awareness of the challenges they face and a strong desire to co- create solutions. Their insights reveal a generation seeking balance—between digital and real -life connection, academic excellence and emotional well-being, and personal ambition and community care. The City Council is encouraged to review and consider these student-proposed solutions as part of ongoing policy and program planning.
Summary of Youth Evaluations
At the end of the summit, all youth were asked to complete an evaluation of the event.
Here's a summary of what the Youth said:
• “I really liked talking with the leaders and giving our input on the topics that affect our community the most.”
• “It helped me to see a broader expanse of what it means to be from Thousand Oaks and how to act as a proud member.”
• “This made me realize how much work goes into bettering the city... It made me want to make change in the community.”
• “I learned the names and roles of many TO community leaders which opened my eyes to what TO did as a whole.”
• “It altered the solutions that I come up with to issues.”
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• “
It was really helpful to have my ideas heard by people who could actually cause change.”
N
EXT STEPS
Th
e 2025 Youth Leadership Summit was a great success bringing together leaders and youth to discuss important community topics. The Youth Commission recognizes that not all the topics that were discussed are under the purview of the City. Since the Youth Commission is unable to address all the topics brought up in the Summit, it is important to document these discussions and work c ollaboratively with community agencies to ensure progress is being made to achieve the goals and all community agencies are aware of the youth feedback. The Youth Commission recommends these next steps:
• Y
outh Commission to use the information contained in this report to set their 2025- 26 meeting priorities and guest speaker calendar.
• Youth Commission to make the community aware of the discoveries and summary of outcomes from the 2025 Youth Leadership Summit through outreach and presentations to the Conejo Valley Unified School District, the Conejo Recreation and Park District, and other relevant youth agencies.
• When possible and applicable, the Youth Commission will work with community agencies to advise on issues related to youth and collaborate to ensure that solutions are implemented.
CCS: 115-01\sm\H\COMMON\Community Services\City Council Items\2025 Staff Reports\06252025 YC Annual Report staff report attachment 1.docx