2026 Youth
Leadership
Summit Report
Your paragraph te xt
ATTACHMENT #1
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City Council
Mikey Taylor, Mayor
Bob Engler, Mayor Pro Tem
Al Adam, Councilmember
C. Tie Gutierrez, Councilmember
David Newman, Councilmember
City of Thousand Oaks 2025-26 Youth Commission
Rayna Doshi, Chair Chenya Kwon, Vice Chair Rafan Ahmed
Isabelle Cipriano Matthew Evangelista Torrey Hacioglu
Alex Lee Brielle Levesque Olivia Little
Zoe Maldonado Mateo Negrete Ryan Shen
Inika Vellore
Alijah Hernandez, Cultural and Community Services Analyst, City of Thousand Oaks www.toaks.gov/youth
[email protected]
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special thanks to
• Youth Commission Planning Committee: Rayna Doshi, Chenya Kwon, Isabelle Cipriano, Alex Lee, Brielle Levesque and Inika Vellore
• Conejo Valley Unified School District for inviting students to apply • Community leaders and student participants who made this summit possible Community Leader Attendees
City of Thousand Oaks (CTO): Mayor Pro Tem Bob Engler, City Council Member David Newman, City Council Member C. Tie Gutierrez, Assistant City Manager Ingrid Hardy, Assistant City Manager Akbar Alikhan, Assistant to City Manager Ryan Roman Conejo Recreation and Park District (CRPD): Board Chair Nellie Cusworth, Board Director Ashley Orozco, Board Director Doug Nickles, Recreation and Community Services Director Rochelle Callis, Teen Services Director Sarah Daub Conejo Valley Unified School District (CVUSD): Board President Karen Sylvester, Board Member Cindy Goldberg, Board Member Lisa Evans Powell, Deputy Superintendent Business Services Dr. Victor Hayek, Assistant Superintendent of Instructional and Student Services Kenny Loo, Director of High School Education Nicole Judd, Clerk Bill Gorback
Thousand Oaks Police Department: Police Chief Jeremy Paris Thousand Oaks Community Leaders: Field Representative for Assemblywoman Irwin’s Office District Director Ryan Valencia, President/CEO of the Greater Conejo Chamber of Commerce Danielle Borja, Los Robles Health System Vice President Community, Employer & Government Relations Amy Commans
Student Attendees
Thank you to all the students who participated in the discussion. Your willingness to engage, share your perspectives and advocate for your community during a busy school week is admirable and appreciated.
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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
NEXT STEPS…………………………………………………………………………………20
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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. 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 most recent Youth Leadership Summit was held on March 25, 2026.
Summit Overview
After several months of planning, the Youth Commission hosted the 2026 Annual Youth Leadership Summit on March 25, 2026. The event included 66 high school and middle school students (including 13 Youth Commissioners), and 22 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 offer meaningful input to 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?
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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?
3. In a sentence or two, what do you hope to gain from this experience? This application and its specific questions were designed to better understand the youth’s perspective on challenges they face, identify the issues they consider most important, and introduce the purpose of the summit. The Youth Commission used participants’ responses to inform table assignments and shape discussion topics. The schedule for the evening was as follows:
3:30 p.m. Registration/Light Snack
4:00 p.m. Welcome
4:15 p.m. Community Leader Roundtables
5:30 p.m. Announcement of Young Artist Contest Winners
5:35 p.m. Dinner
6:20 p.m. Interactive Activity
6:50 p.m. Youth Focus Group Discussion
7:15 p.m. Report Back
7:35 p.m. Wrap-up and Evaluations
Eleven groups of students were formed considering their grade level, as indicated in the application. During the Community Leader Roundtable Discussions, two community leaders were assigned to each table, and student groups rotated every 20 minutes, providing participants with the opportunity to engage in dialogue with at least six community leaders. To support these conversations, each community leader was provided with the five highest-ranked issues, along with additional themes associated with various topics identified through student application submissions. Following the roundtable discussions, leaders were invited to remain for dinner and continue conversations with youth who had additional questions.
Each Youth Commissioner was responsible for taking notes and assisting with facilitation during both the Community Leader Roundtable Discussions and the Youth- Only Focus Group Discussions. Following the event, Commissioners submitted summaries of their groups’ experiences to support the compilation and preparation of this report.
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Demographics
Applications were reviewed and 66 students applied, including 13 commissioners.
Below are school and grade demographics of the 2026 Youth Leadership Summit attendees.
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DISCOVERIES AND OUTCOMES
Overview and Discoveries
During the Community Leader Roundtable Discussions, students participated in three rotations, engaging with six community leaders to offer their perspectives and feedback on various topics. To prepare for the Youth Focus Group Discussions, students selected a discussion group focused on one of the top five priorities identified through their application process: mental health; diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging; the negative impacts of social media; school safety and bullying; and substance use. During the focus groups, Youth Commissioners worked with participants to identify key areas of concern and develop two to three proposed solutions related to their selected topic.
Following the focus group discussions, students participated in a gallery walk to review each group’s poster and placed stickers on the issue they considered most pressing and the proposed solutions they considered most effective. As prepared by each Youth Commissioner, summaries of the key topics discussed and proposed solutions are provided below.
Chair Rayna Doshi
Leader Roundtable Summary
The first roundtable discussion was with Mr. Valencia and Mr. Alikhan. The main topic was mental health, especially the role of wellness centers on campus. Students shared that while these spaces are helpful, there needs to be more awareness and easier access. Privacy was a concern since students are often pulled out of class, which can feel uncomfortable and discourage them from going. The group discussed ways to reduce stigma by normalizing conversations and better advertising resources. Students also talked about academic pressure, especially at competitive schools like Westlake and Moorpark, and how balancing school with extracurriculars can be stressful.
Possible solutions included building better study habits and providing more support. The conversation also touched on personal finance and college, where students shared concerns about costs but still saw college as a chance to explore interests.
The second roundtable discussion was with Mrs. Commons and Mrs. Borja. This conversation focused on new city developments, including a downtown project with housing, retail, theaters, and food spaces. Students were excited about having a more central place to gather, since many feel there is currently no main spot for youth. The project will be pedestrian-friendly and include features like a pocket library. Housing was also discussed, especially the housing crisis and plans for more affordable units through inclusionary housing. Students brought up concerns about the cost of living and parking, and leaders explained that future projects will include more parking to help address these issues.
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The final roundtable discussion was with Mr. Loo and Mr. Hayek. This discussion focused on social media and student behavior online. Students talked about how social media is sometimes used inappropriately and questioned whose responsibility it is, since most activity happens outside of school. The group discussed ways schools can respond, including the use of WeTip, an anonymous reporting system, although many students are not aware of it. There was also a focus on increasing awareness around bullying and making sure students feel heard. Students suggested looking at root causes of behavior and improving consequences and redirection. Excessive phone use was another concern, along with its connection to increased AI use and possible impacts on creativity.
Youth Focus Group Discussion:
Our group mainly discussed mental health. A big focus was on removing the stigma around it and making it more normalized, so students are not afraid to ask for help.
Many students felt that the wellness center is important and should continue, especially with concerns about funding cuts, but also shared that the way it currently operates could be improved. Students suggested creating more privacy and making access feel less intimidating. There was also discussion about adding more classes or lessons that talk about mental health, so it becomes a regular topic instead of something people avoid. Overall, students agreed that mental health struggles are something everyone can experience, and the focus should be on learning how to manage and support each other.
Vice Chair Chenya Kwon
Leader Roundtable 1:
- David Newman and Jeremy Paris
The students and community leaders discussed a variety of public safety and student wellness concerns. First, students reflected on how substance abuse impacted their school environment, including having friends who participated in substance abuse, witnessing usage on campus, etc. Subsequently, students discussed solutions for teen substance abuse, including vape pen buyback programs, a heightened educational/awareness campaign, and the CVUSD high schools’ Wellness Center. For the last solution in particular, students emphasized how impactful the Wellness Center has been for students and expressed hopes that, despite district funding cuts, the center would continue to be supported by CVUSD. Students also discussed other topics about campus safety and wellbeing, including sexual harassment prevention and school workload. Students expressed a general appreciation for the sexual harassment module mandated by CVUSD.
Leader Roundtable 2:
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- Amy Commans and Danielle Borja
Discussion at this table focused on city activities, housing development, and the upcoming downtown project. On the downtown project, students received a comprehensive summary of the new City of Thousand Oaks downtown project.
Students concurred with the focus on pedestrian friendliness. Discussions about the incoming housing projects in the future downtown led to questions from students about what affordable housing units look like in Thousand Oaks. Community leaders explained the local city legislation that requires 10% of new housing to be affordable housing units and explained several examples of upcoming housing projects that reached or exceeded those levels of affordable housing.
Leader Roundtable 3:
- Nellie Cusworth and Sarah Daub
This discussion focused on student life and weekend activities in Thousand Oaks and in the greater LA area. Students discussed barriers to fun activities, including commitments to school clubs and sports (which were also acknowledged as another angle to student life). Locally, students enjoy the City’s parks and hiking trails.
Community leaders explained the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency and the partnership between the City of Thousand Oaks and the Conejo Recreation and Park District. Beyond the local area, students also shared an interest in visiting nearby larger cities like Los Angeles and San Diego for entertainment on the weekends.
Youth-Only Focus Group Discussion:
- School safety/bullying
Youth began the conversation by discussing sexual harassment on campus. Students expressed concerns about the normalization of misogynistic behavior and the fear of reports not being taken seriously. To address this, students discussed the importance of school Wellness Centers, consistent sexual harassment training modules, and more awareness about the consequences of being a perpetrator of sexual harassment. Youth also discussed cellphones and their place with school safety, specifically as a means of communication during times of crisis on campus. Finally, students talked extensively about road safety for student drivers. Concerns about chaotic student pickup/drop-off zones, frequent student parking lot accidents, and the presence of E-bikes were raised.
Solutions to general student driver safety included banning parent drop-off/pick-ups in the student lot, expanding parking lots, and increasing supervision in campus areas that students drive in.
In the gallery walk portion of the youth-only discussions, issues with misogynistic behavior and fear of harassment reports not being taken seriously were some of the
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issues with the most attention. Amongst solutions, resources like the Wellness Center and more awareness of consequences were also popular. In addition, regarding student driver safety, ideas for expanding parking lots, or otherwise making them safer to drive and walk in, were also some of the most popular points.
Commissioner Rafan Ahmed
1st Leader Roundtable Discussion
The first roundtable was with Mrs. Goldberg and Mr. Gorback as our guests from CVUSD and they focused on education policy and the role of technology in schools.
Participants discussed regulating technology use and agreed that artificial intelligence should be introduced later, around middle school, to avoid poor habits. There was strong support for teaching AI ethics and possibly creating classes dedicated to responsible use. While AI was seen as helpful, especially in STEM, concerns were raised about its impact on real-world skills. The group also emphasized balancing online and paper-based testing and improving awareness and use of mental health resources like wellness centers.
2nd Leader Roundtable Discussion
The second roundtable was with Mr. Alikhan and Ryan Roman as our guests from the City of Thousand Oaks and they explored the broader impacts of AI. Participants described AI as a “double-edged sword,” recognizing its benefits while also discussing risks such as job loss and increasing economic inequality. They agreed that AI cannot replace teachers and that its negative effects can be reduced through proper understanding and use. Additional concerns included the rapid evolution of AI, environmental impacts like data center growth and water usage, and rising technology costs.
3rd Leader Roundtable Discussion
The third roundtable with Mrs. Calis and Mr. Serret focused on youth mental health.
Students expressed the need for more accessible resources, including expanded wellness centers and in-person events. Although services like 211 exist, many students are unaware of how to use them. Proposed solutions included peer support systems, outreach workers, and anonymous helplines. Stress from academic pressure and parental expectations was identified as a major issue, highlighting the need for better communication and support systems. Participants also emphasized that students often feel unprepared to help their peers, reinforcing the importance of teaching practical ways to support others. Overall, the discussion highlighted the need for both increased awareness of resources and stronger peer-to-peer connections within schools.
Youth Focus Group Discussion
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The youth focus group discussed school safety, focusing on bullying, sexual harassment, and road safety. Key concerns included reports not being taken seriously and unsafe parking areas. Proposed solutions included better communication with adults, consistent training, increased awareness of consequences, and more supervision in driving areas. The sticker activity showed the strongest support for preventative solutions like training, awareness, and communication, while physical safety issues such as parking received unexpectedly high attention. Mental health resources were supported but were less prioritized compared to immediate safety concerns, showing that students value both social and physical safety along with proactive solutions.
Commissioner Mateo Negrete
Table 1- Community Leader(s): Nellie Cussworth
Q: Why has Mental Health Been Deteriorating?
• This is due to a lack of social interaction.
• College is a big stressor in the lives of teens
Q: Should social media be banned for teens?
• Shouldn’t be outright banned
• Bans are easy to get around
• Age verification doesn’t work well
• Focus on community-based solutions
• Useful websites can sometimes be blocked accidentally Q: What professional opportunities are there for teens? • City of Thousand Oaks should bring back internships
• Conejo park and Rec has volunteer and job spots
• Westlake has a company program that could be replicated Table 2- Community Leader(s): Cindy Goldberg, Bill Gorback Q: What are your thoughts on Artificial Intelligence?
• It is not only common but some at the table use it
• More positive than negative - Research shows this
• Simple tasks are often delegated to AI
o Aren’t Simple Tasks Essential to building character?
• Maybe it should be banned on School Wi-Fi
• Hypocrisy amongst teachers who also use it
• It can be a helpful tool but also dangerous when abused
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• Closely related to colonialism
o Exploiting the resources of the internet
• Need to discuss morals of AI
• UC Davis had many students who had to take remedial math courses due to reliance on AI in high school
• Cuts off learning
• Calculators are similar to AI
• Does AI rob people of their creativity?
Table 3- Community Leader(s): Ryan Valencia, Akbar Aikhans Q: Does artificial intelligence have a place in schools? • Important to have discussions about AI in their first place • Do teachers know they’re being replaced by AI when students need assistance? • Are there safeguards?
• No unified approach to AI on the part of faculty
• The military has already started to use AI
• Kids aren’t prepared to use AI correctly
• Humanless data centers harm marginalized communities
• What happens to our data?
• How do we tailor AI to our needs?
• AI can be dangerous when giving harmful instructions
• Can encourage self-harm
o One student experimented with AI and concluded it was capable of giving instructions of self-harm
Youth-Only Discussion: Addiction
My youth-only discussion was focused on addiction. Multiple students reported that addiction was pervasive at their schools. Participants mentioned that many types of vapes and drugs were difficult to detect at school. After a period of collaboration, the group came up with three potential solutions. First, students suggested an increase in education about the effects of addictive substances. They believed this was necessary to prevent usage. Furthermore, students believed that more smoke detectors were needed in bathrooms. The stated reason was that many smoking devices went undetected. Finally, participants suggested more psychological support for students.
They said that addiction was commonly a result of pre-existing mental health struggles.
Commissioner Zoe Maldonado
1st Leader Roundtable Discussion:
The first two leaders we talked to during the Community Leader Discussions were Amy
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Commans from Los Robles Health System and Danielle Borja from the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce. A prominent topic of discussion was volunteer opportunities. Ms. Commans described programs available at the hospital that provide first-hand volunteer experience to the medical field. Mrs. Borja ensured that any volunteering opportunities at the local businesses represented by her organization could be coordinated with them, and she is available to provide contact information to facilitate networking. They discussed the role AI has played in their workspaces, both connecting on the idea that it has made various processes easier, especially for emailing and formal writing. Overall, they provided us with valuable insight about work environments and the labor market, sharing their enthusiasm for future generations to dominate and progress in their fields of work.
2nd Leader Roundtable Discussion:
Nellie Cusworth, Chair of Conejo Recreation and Parks District, and Sarah Daub, Supervisor of the Teen Center, were the next leaders we talked to. The discussion consisted of three main topics: elections for the organization, the parking issues at Newbury Park High School, and homelessness in public spaces. Ms. Cusworth detailed how the organization works, explaining how the parks are their own entity with elected officials, as they are sustained through taxes. Challenges with student parking at Newbury Park High School were then brought up, with a member from the youth group asking why students are no longer allowed to park at Borchard Park. It was revealed that reckless driving has limited the possibilities for parking to reopen at the park. The stress of the surrounding neighborhoods was also highlighted, as they are now receiving the students who are no longer able to park at Borchard. Overall, Ms.
Cusworth explained how it is an issue that the principal must look into and organize with the coordinators of the park. Lastly, the leaders answered questions about managing homelessness in parks, describing close work with assistance programs in communities such as Thrive Grove to provide proper help to those who need it. They also ensured that workers in the park centers closely monitor park environments to ensure the safety of everyone.
3rd Leader Roundtable Discussion:
At the last table, the community leaders were Bill Gorback, Clerk for CVUSD, and Cindy Goldberg, Board Member of CVUSD. We began by discussing the role of AI in education and the updates being implemented on technology policies to account for these developments. The youth established their wishes for balance, placing limitations for students and teachers alike to ensure engaging classes and authentic classwork.
Education on the proper use of AI versus inappropriate use was another wish emphasized by the youth in the group. Cellphone policies were brought up, and the school leaders ensured that the phone policy helps establish healthy habits for the future to learn how to balance and set healthy limits. Lastly, the youth discussed bullying
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and sports coaches. The youth voiced their concern about discrimination in athletics, especially from the coach’s behaviors. They explained that problems must be introduced to the chain of command, and CVUSD has strict hiring procedures to ensure employment aligns with the policies of the district.
Youth Only Discussion:
The topic discussed by my group was mental health, and we identified four main issues:
built-up stigma regarding mental health, lack of awareness, discomfort using available resources, and lack of accessibility to resources. Many of the youth in the group shared that social environments in schools are not always the most welcoming of mental health issues, resulting in hesitance to utilize resources that are already available. As a result, there is an overall lack of awareness, leading to less knowledge about where to find resources and how they can help. To address these issues, the group proposed mandatory mental health check-ins with online options to normalize healthy habits while offering an online option to those who prefer it. Additionally, we suggested increased government funding to help increase advocacy for mental health. Overall, we identified that mental health is an important topic that deserves attention to ensure everyone is accounted for and heard.
Commissioner Torrey Hacioglu
Leader-Led Discussion 1:
Students identified mental health as one of the most important issues affecting teens, especially because of academic pressure, excessive phone use, social media, and lack of personal hobbies. They discussed how students often feel overwhelmed by school expectations and comparison online. The group suggested encouraging passion-based activities, improving Wellness Centers, and creating more inclusive clubs to help students feel supported. They also talked about bullying and the importance of empowering students to speak up and build a more positive school culture.
Leader-Led Discussion 2:
Students discussed the importance of having safe and engaging places for teens, such as teen centers with activities like skating, gaming, volunteering, and social events.
They also raised concerns about phone use during class and how social media can replace real-life interactions. Academic stress from AP exams, finals, and heavy workloads was another major topic. The group suggested that students could benefit from more support with time management, stress reduction, and healthy ways to balance school with personal life.
Leader-Led Discussion 3:
Students expressed concerns about school lunch options, including the need for healthier and more accessible meals. They also discussed college admissions, emphasizing that students should focus on schools where they feel happy and
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supported rather than only choosing based on prestige. Substance use was another major concern, especially in school bathrooms and social settings. Students agreed that schools should provide more realistic education about consequences instead of relying only on scare tactics.
Peer-Led Discussion:
In the peer-led discussion, we focused heavily on substance abuse and the problems connected to it. Students talked about how vaping and drug use often happen in school bathrooms, especially when there are not enough hall monitors or adults supervising those areas. Other major concerns included a lack of education about the real consequences of drug use, peer pressure, easy access to substances, and the chronic health consequences that can come from repeated use. We also discussed how substance use has become too normalized among teens, making it harder for students to recognize the seriousness of the issue.
To address these problems, students suggested several solutions that could make schools safer and better informed. These included installing gas detectors in bathrooms, requiring mandatory drug education, expanding Wellness Centers, using bathroom timers, increasing supervision, and limiting backpacks in bathrooms to reduce opportunities for students to bring substances onto campus. The group agreed that schools should focus on prevention, education, and support rather than only punishment. By combining stronger supervision with realistic education and mental health resources, schools can better help students avoid substance abuse and understand its long-term risks.
Commissioner Matthew Evangelista
1st Roundtable Discussion with Bob Engler and Lisa Evans Powell Students discussed a variety of subjects regarding different aspects of school. The first concern brought to attention was school food. Critiques were made about the lack of variety of culturally represented options as well as the overall quality. Students were informed that these decisions are made at a district-wide level and that for districts such as CVUSD and other complaints should be directed towards the board of trustees. The next issue discussed was the engagement levels of online assignments compared to physical textbooks. Sides on this topic were split between the students at the group, with some feeling that online assignments pose many benefits whilst others feel it hurts eyesight and interpersonal skills that students are otherwise missing out on. It was agreed that a middle ground between the two sides is the most ideal. The last topic brought up was worries of AI- specifically AI checkers. With AI rapidly growing and teachers attempting to eliminate its use in the classroom, many AI checkers are
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providing teachers with false positives and adding additional stress on students who do not utilize AI for academic purposes.
2nd Roundtable Discussion with Jeremy Paris and David Newman At this table, students brought up concerns with overall community safety. Jeremy Paris, Chief of Police, educated the group with information on crime rates and what the police are currently dealing with city wide. Contrary to popular belief, crime was reported to be on a continuous decline, and he explained that one of their objectives is ensuring people know that where they live is safer than perceived but to still take basic precautions. Intersection safety near schools was also discussed by multiple of the students. With school start and dismissal hours being chaotic times for pick up and drop off, intersections adjacent to schools oftentimes experience heavy congestion and concerns were expressed on how this affects students’ safety as pedestrians at these times.
3rd Roundtable Discussion with Amy Commans and Danielle Borja No main issues were discussed by the students or community leaders at this table, but instead general information about what the community leaders do for work was shared.
Danielle Borja, part of Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce, explained how they help support local businesses with film ordinances, outreach, and by working with the city on the new downtown project which is set to be worked on at the end of 2027.
Amy Commans also told the students that $150 million is being spent on upgrades for water tanks for hospitals when she explained her line of work.
Youth Focus Group Discussion
Students discussed 3 major issues around the topic of school safety and bullying, which were sexual harassment, specific types of bullying, and road safety. With sexual harassment, there is the fear of reports not being taken seriously by the school and the normalization of misogynistic behavior. With road safety, there are issues with chaotic student pick up and drop off zones, as well as frequent parking lot accidents and many students operating e-bikes in illegal manners. Ultimately, the students concluded that there needs to be more conversations between youth and adults as well as consistent training modules on sexual harassment. The promotion of the wellness center and the awareness of consequences of improper behavior should also be addressed.
Commissioner Ryan Shen
1.Mental health (Leaders: Doug Nickles and Ashley Orozco):
The first topic discussed was mental health. The youth discussed many factors related to the deterioration of mental health and how to combat it. The youth talked about how to care of mental health such as stretching, walking, etc., then talked
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about what schools can do to maintain better mental health amongst students. It was mentioned that schools should provide specific areas for mental health resources, assemblies to spread awareness, and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs to talk about mental health and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The youth mentioned that the school’s overall environment and schoolwork cause a lot of stress. Counselors are viewed as people only meant to talk about future classes, not about the student's overall health. Youth mentioned that maybe stress can decrease in students if there is a free period or period off, although it might contradict the school’s schedule. Besides school, many other factors like losing a loved one, or failing exams can lead to things such as substance abuse and other risky behaviors.
Youth mentioned another way to combat mental health decline is by making schoolwork easier and more manageable. The conversation also dove into how addictions like social media, drugs, etc. can also impact mental health.
2. Social media/AI (Leaders: Lisa Evans Powell and Dr. Mark McLaughlin):
Youth explained how social media can negatively impact mental health, resulting in bad trends such as injuries and sometimes even death. For example, the tide pod challenge was a very risky trend that involved eating tide pods. This resulted in injuries and even death for some individuals. Youth stated that Australia is a good example of placing limitations on social media use by having a law that prohibits anyone 15 years old and younger from using social media. There are pros and cons of social media. The pros are that many people can learn new things like learning how to crochet from videos online, as well as being able to chat with others. The cons are that addiction can happen, resulting in a lack of sleep, increase in procrastination, and negative impacts on mental health. Youth started talking about the school's actions towards this matter, explaining that assemblies and guest speakers can spread awareness about the dangers of social media. Instead of blocking websites in school, which only allows students to find loopholes, designate a timer on the sites so kids can get a break. The problem is not social media itself, but how it is used. Also, apps made for time management can help.
Diverging off the topic of social media, the youth started to explain how AI is used for cheating. The leaders mentioned that there are many policies that schools have to make sure that students won't cheat, including academic dishonesty policies, detention, different test forms, phones in designated areas, etc.
3. Cyberbullying/bullying & vaping (Leaders: David Newman and Jeremy Paris):
The youth talked about bullying in school. It was mentioned that high schools and middle schools have wellness centers, but they are often hidden and not really used.
Many students might not even know that the school has a wellness center. In efforts to reduce social media use and cyberbullying, the youth explained how schools have cubbies to put their phones in for maximum attention in class. Cyberbullying usually
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happens on social media apps such as Instagram, Snapchat, etc. For example, Snapchat has a feature where messages that are sent are only temporary, so after a certain time the messages will disappear. This results in a higher rate of cyberbullying on this app. Youth also explained how the teen protection settings in social media apps rarely help, as youth sometimes can lie about their age. As a solution, the youth suggested that social media accounts should regulate teen messages and make sure that access is restricted for content that might be unsuitable for teenagers. Also, filtering words can help protect teens from profanity. However, loopholes in the system might occur. Additionally, time limits are sometimes helpful. A youth mentioned that Apple's time limit is bad since it has a feature to override the timer. In contrast, other apps can allow for time management and help fight addiction. Youth also discussed the vaping issue in schools for middle and high schoolers. They disclosed that it usually happens in bathrooms with no monitoring and is often ignored by other people. The youth said that even though guest speakers can help spread awareness, not many people pay full attention to the speaker. Finally, students want more engaging activities that prevent them from being glued to their phones. For example, the teen center could be more inclusive.
Youth Only Discussion: The main topic of discussion in the youth only focus group was diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Starting with the core idea of "respect", the team focused on four different problems: fat shaming, racist jokes, exclusion over grade levels, and derogatory language. The team shared a quote they felt was relevant to this topic from Spiderman, "With great power, comes great responsibility." Probable solutions were discussed and shared for these four problem areas. For fat shaming, the solution was to have an anonymous reporting system to help people who are victims of fat shaming. For racist jokes, the solution was to raise awareness on diverse people to bring people together and to potentially stop racist jokes. For exclusion over grade levels, the solution was to have older grades be role models or mentors. Finally, the solution to reduce derogatory language is to educate students on the implications and consequences. After the report back activity which included placing stickers on the topics students found most important, it seemed that racist jokes and derogatory language were the two most important and large topics that affect the diversity and inclusion of people. There were not as many stickers that acknowledged the other two problems, showing that a negative use of language is the most important.
Commissioner Alex Lee
Leader Round Table 1: Ryan Roman and Ingrid Hardy:
During this Leader Round Table, youth mainly talked about the current downtown project in Thousand Oaks. Initially, the leaders introduced themselves as well as their respective roles and responsibilities for the city. The youth were able to ask questions
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regarding the city’s budget with the current downtown project, as well as plans on expanding housing and youth-related activities.
Leader Round Table 2: Karen Sylvester and Nicole Judd:
Most of the discussion revolved around the leader’s jobs within school administration.
However, there wasn’t much valuable discussion or questions due to the fact that most of the people were part of the Student District Advisory Council (SDAC). There were some conversations about cyberbullying and security issues, especially regarding lawsuits with AI in school.
Leader Round Table 3: Finneas Kerns and Doug Nickles:
There was discussion about CRPD’s budget as well as its relation to the Teen Center.
Discussion was had on the trails and paths that CRPD manages and cleans. Other discussions were mostly about the permit system and access to CRPD-managed parks and recreational centers.
Youth Only Discussion:
The youth-only discussion topic was about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and belonging (DEI). Students were able to generalize two topics related to DEI that they thought were the most interesting or important. The first topic was racial/sexual harassment or discrimination. People provided personal anecdotes or described when they witnessed events of these acts at their schools. The second topic was about racially motivated jokes that are very common on school grounds. Many people viewed that major concerns with DEI stem from these overlooked jokes that lead to further discrimination and the dissemination of stereotypes. Solutions students came up with included raising awareness, as well as having stricter enforcement of zero-tolerance policies in schools.
Commissioner Brielle Levesque
Roundtable 1 – Dr. Victor Hayek and Mr. Kenny Loo
In this roundtable, students primarily discussed mental health, bullying, and the lack of accessible social spaces for teens in the community. Students noted that outside of the Teen Center and the Promenade, there are limited places for them to gather.
Additionally, there is a stigma surrounding the Teen Center that discourages teen participation. Students also expressed concerns about the pressure they face, often influenced by parents, as well as hesitation to seek help from adults due to fear of disciplinary consequences. Community leaders acknowledged that while certain disclosures are required, there is a need for clearer confidentiality to build trust.
Transportation was also discussed, with students highlighting that many free local resources, such as buses, are not used due to lack of awareness. Leaders emphasized
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the importance of better promotion of tools like school digital backpack and city resources.
Roundtable 2 – Ingrid Hardy, Ryan Roman, and Councilwoman C. Tie Gutierrez Students focused on the lack of awareness of opportunities available to them, including extracurricular activities and community programs. They shared that insufficient communication from city initiatives leads to missed opportunities, such as sports tryouts, which can prevent participation for an entire season. Community leaders acknowledged the need for improved outreach and publicity. The role of organizations like the Conejo Schools Foundation was highlighted in promoting equity by providing resources to underprivileged students. Additionally, students raised concerns about the Promenade, emphasizing that its current stores are too expensive and are inaccessible for teens.
Leaders talked about the importance of balancing economic development with creating youth-friendly community spaces that also support local businesses.
Roundtable 3 – Nicole Judd and Karen Sylvester
Students discussed inequities related to academic resources, particularly a paper shortage and broken printers within the Westlake High School history department. They explained that being required to print assignments for homework puts some students at an unfair disadvantage, as not all students have equal access to printers and often must pay for printing at the school library. Community leaders noted budget constraints but agreed that policies should ensure students are not required to incur costs for course materials. School safety was also a major topic, especially following a recent lockdown at Westlake High School in March. Students expressed concerns about the impact of such incidents and the need for stronger preventative measures. Leaders confirmed that student safety is the district’s top priority and stressed ongoing efforts to address these concerns.
Commissioner Inika Vellore
First Leader Roundtable Discussion:
At the first roundtable discussion, my group got the opportunity to talk to members of CRPD. The main two topics that were discussed involved mental health, diversity, and AI. Regarding mental health, youth asked questions about the accessibility of help for mental health issues. The staff explained the available mentors at the wellness centers at school as well as at the teen center. The students proposed creating a big brother/sister program between elementary schoolers and middle schoolers, and between middle schoolers and high schoolers to ease the transition to a new school. In addition, they proposed having an open space in every school and having art classes available after school. Regarding AI, students brought up the idea of adapting the curriculum to include AI because they believe that it won’t go away.
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Second Leader Roundtable Discussion:
At the second roundtable discussion, the students talked to Mr. Loo and Dr. Hayek from the CVUSD school district. The main topics that were discussed were transportation and screen time. The students asked questions about public transportation and the leaders discussed the school district’s timed bus system. Regarding screen time, the leaders had questions about the amount of screen time students use in classes. They discussed how screen time has increased post-COVID and the real problem is the social media use after school. The students also discussed how they like the K-8 system at Sycamore because they like not having a big transition after elementary school.
Third Leader Roundtable Discussion:
At the third roundtable discussion, my group talked to Ms. Hardy and Mr. Roman from the City of Thousand Oaks. They discussed housing within Thousand Oaks, which the leaders explained was an important topic during City Council meetings. They discussed how a big issue within cities such as Thousand Oaks is that the state mandates do not take into account the local problems and try to address them on a wider scale. The students also proposed and discussed the addition of a stop sign by Sycamore Canyon Middle School because there have been multiple accidents at the intersection before.
Commissioner Isabelle Cipriano
Roundtable 1:
Daily Stress:
• Heavy pressure to succeed specifically due to geographical location • Students expressed competitive culture influenced by schools that leads to extreme student stress
• Financial stress
Mental Health:
• Students felt that mental health resources in schools are not being advertised as much as they should be, and that resources that are advertised aren’t being publicized to their true potential
• Students discussed stigma around wellness centers and the negative stigma surrounding mental health as a whole
• Discussed heavy workloads and extreme pressure to excel in school as a factor that can impact mental health
Roundtable 2
Inclusivity/Diversity:
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• Youth discussed how CVUSD schools do a good job of including diverse and inclusive programs
• Students discussed need for a better understanding of global perspectives in school
• Students like the idea of ethnic studies being a required class • Youth discussed issues revolving around sexism shown in schools and the mob mentality surrounding it
Social Media:
• Youth discussed how many issues happening in schools are learned behaviors stemming from social media usage
• Students discussed how micro aggressions from social media are being portrayed in schools by other students
• Students discussed how the best solution to the negative impact of social media is to not engage and report to school immediately
• Social media causes students to be desensitized to certain topics Roundtable 3:
Social Media:
• Students discussed how schools are not taking social media bullying seriously enough
• Students discussed how WeTip is not being advertised widely enough • Student solution: Introduce WeTip on the first day of school during class orientations.
Cellphones:
• Students expressed a desire for less screen time in classrooms • Youth expressed a desire for less teacher usage of AI in classrooms
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NEXT STEPS
The 2026 Youth Leadership Summit was a meaningful and productive event that brought together youth and community leaders to discuss issues that matter most to youth in our community. The Youth Commission recognizes that some of the topics raised during the Summit fall outside the City’s direct purview. While the Commission may not be able to address every issue identified, it is important to capture the feedback shared, document the key discussions, and continue working in partnership with community agencies to help move these priorities forward. This collaborative approach helps ensure that youth perspectives are shared broadly and considered by the organizations best positioned to take action. The Youth Commission recommends the following next steps:
• Use the information and feedback gathered in this report to help guide the Youth Commission’s 2026–27 meeting priorities and guest speaker calendar. • Share the key findings and outcomes from the 2026 Youth Leadership Summit with the broader community through outreach efforts to other youth-serving agencies and organizations.
• When appropriate, continue to partner with community agencies to provide input on youth-related issues and support collaborative efforts aimed at developing and implementing solutions.
CCS: 115-01\ah\Z\COMMON\Community Services\City Council Items\2026 Staff Reports\06092026 YC Annual Report\ Attachment 1 2026 Youth Leadership Summit Report. pdf