The Mayor's Youth Leadership Council (MYLC) officially established a Westhill High School Chapter Tuesday, school officials announced that afternoon.
The MYLC is a youth activism organization run by the Stamford Youth Services Bureau with the mission of promoting safe schools and communities with an emphasis on developing strategies that advocate for causes that matter to youth. It is one of the largest youth activism organizations in the state. Stamford High School, Norwalk's Brien McMahon High School and Greenwich High School all have chapters.
"I am excited to launch the MYLC program at Westhill High School and am confident the Westhill community will embrace the inspirational and educational outreach of the MYLC members on topics most relevant to our school," said Westhill High School Principal Camille Figluizzi. "I am especially proud of those students who have stepped up to the challenge of leading the WHS MYLC Chapter and to serve as its Executive Committee."
The Youth Services Bureau reviewed applicants seeking to serve on the Executive Committee and announced the sollowing six students had been chosen as members:
- Ariana Venneri, sophomore
- Julia DiBiccari, junior
- Emma Gargiulo, junior
- Natasja Haughton, sophomore
- Isabella Petrini, sophomore
- Austin Nardi, junior
The first Executive Committee meeting will take place January 29, 2014, and the Westhill MYLC Chapter’s first all-member meeting will be scheduled for early February. Members will meet regularly to design and plan activities, which take place in school and around town, and map out the group's social change campaigns.
"MYLC is designed so each chapter has the opportunity to identify and focus on a social issue most important to their community," said Kocienda. "The Executive Committee will follow an established research strategy and timeline in order to select the issue most relevant to Westhill and then will begin to plan their approach."
MYLC uses three approaches to address the identified issues: public awareness activities, volunteer programs, and social change campaigns. The Stamford High School chapter, which was established in 2004 focuses on teen dating violence, bullying, sexual harassment, and mental health.
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