Teens Take City Hall In Mock Council Debate

B r u n o E s t r a d a , Y M C A o f Greater New York "Teens Take The City" program Queens B o r o u g h P r e s i d e n t , delivers a policy proposal in the Council Chamber at City Hall.

On April 25 the Council Chamber at City Hall rang with hundreds of impassioned voices debating some of Queens' and New York City's most important issues and proposing policy solutions to improve the quality of life in the five boroughs. Yet, none of these young legislators have even graduated high school.

Almost 200 civically active middle- and high school students- dozens of whom are from Queens--convened at City Hall for a mock legislative session, part of the Con Ed and City Council sponsored YMCA Teens Take the City initiative- a 20-week, after-school program that offers young people hands-on experience learning how public policy is shaped on a local level. The program also prepares the students for responsible civic leadership roles while instilling the YMCA core values of honesty, caring, respect and responsibility.

The event was presided over by YMCA Teen Mayor Jayvette Roberts-Romain of Brooklyn, and Teen Borough Presidents Maryan Escarfullett (Manhattan), Bruno Estrada (Queens), Abdul Hafiz (Staten Island), Delonn Antonio (The Bronx), and Jalik Stevens (Brooklyn).

Politically engaged teens vote on policy proposals in a mock legislative session in City Hall as part of the "Teens Take The City" program sponsored by the YMCA of Greater New York.

For the past five months, teams of young legislators from the Queens branches of the YMCA have researched and developed specific policy proposals that would mandate resolutions for filing police brutality complaints and government funding for adolescent employment. Introducing dozens of resolutions and voting in much the same manner as adult councilmembers, the teens also debated other issues, including:

+ How can the city decrease sanitation-related health risks and increase tourism in Chinatown?

+ How can the city prevent homelessness for those struggling with chronic poverty?

Councilmember Helen Sears and Jack Lund, president and chief executive officer of the YMCA of Greater New York, offered personal insights and congratulations to the teen participants at the April 25 culminating City Hall event.

"The Teens Take the City program provides New York City teens with the opportunity to see how government affects them individually, and more importantly, how they can influence public policy," Lund said. "This hands-on experience teaches them that they can make a difference and that their opinions count, no matter how old- or young- they are."

Teens Take the City empowers young people to make a difference in their communities by involving them in New York City government and giving them important training in the democratic process. The program enhances the teens' awareness, interest and understanding of local government. One of the key features of the program is that many participants are nominated by city elected officials, community leaders or by YMCA branch staff.

Lund also thanked the many councilmembers who nominated, supported, and advised this year's Teens Take the City participants, including Speaker Christine Quinn, Carmen E. Arroyo, Gale A. Brewer, Leroy Comrie, Daniel R. Garodnick, Alan J. Gerson, Melinda Katz, John Liu, Annabel Palma, Peter Vallone Jr., Melissa Mark Viverito and Thomas White.

The YMCA of Greater New York is a community service organization that promotes positive values through programs that build spirit, mind and body, welcoming all people with a focus on youth. It is the largest youth-serving organization in New York City, encompasses 19 YMCA branches, nearly 200 program sites throughout the five boroughs, and three camps upstate. We serve more than 350,000 New Yorkers of all ages each year, including 175,000 children in a variety of educational, social, health and wellness, as well as recreational and child development programs, each of which reinforce the YMCA values of respect, responsibility, honesty and caring. For more information, visit www.ymcanyc.org.