Countywide forum encourages service in community
MODESTO — Middle school and high school teens throughout Stanislaus County gathered Saturday at Mark Twain Junior High School for the Youth Action Commission Community Forum.
The 57 teens on the Youth Action Commission spoke about issues and problems they want to address in their hometowns by meeting with city leaders, individuals, business owners and law enforcement.
The commission was formed in November to help teens serve their community by developing service learning projects. Kids who live in Stanislaus County and are between 11 and 18 years old applied through their schools. Those on the commission have a 2.0 grade-point-average or above and commit as much as four hours a week for meetings and community projects.
The Patterson students are from the migrant program in the Patterson Unified School District. Migrant students are those whose families move from place to place every three years or so.
Safety, health, academics, the environment and sex education were among the 12 topics discussed Saturday.
Patricia Segoviano de Pier of the Youth Action Commission of Stanislaus County said the youth input was invaluable.
“We want to make sure kids have their own ideas,” Segoviano de Pier said. “We want to make sure they have the ownership of the issues and their problems. Today is more about pursuing some of the tips they will present at the youth conference. Some leaders have to open doors in those cities.”
The teens brought up areas of concern important in the county.
“We’re talking about immigration, sex, economic issues, school safety,” said Samuel Contreras, a 14-year-old eighth-grader at Creekside.
The Patterson group was mainly concerned with school safety and gangs in light of a Sept. 19 gang brawl at Patterson High School.
“We’re trying to help the community,” said Cristina Tinoco, 13, a seventh-grader at Creekside Middle School and the youngest member of the Patterson group.
Alfonso Chavez, a 15-year-old Patterson High School sophomore, said the teens hope to get a lot of adult help.
“Becky (Campo) is going to help us,” Chavez said of Patterson’s mayor, who sat at the discussion table with the teens.
Campo said she knows most of the local group or their parents.
“It’s amazing to see we’ve got young kids who want to be engaged already when they are typically shy,” Campo said. “I’m excited to see young men, young Latinos, being involved because it's typically young women that are involved at this age. With peer pressure, it is not the thing to do.”
Segoviano de Pier said youths will meet over the course of the next few months, working as the larger county group. The teens will meet for Tuesday leadership trainings twice in January. Weekend leadership training meetings are also set up monthly until May.
The Youth Leadership Conference will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 10 at the Doubletree Hotel in Modesto.
The final presentation and culmination of projects will be in May and June.
Bernie Rangel, director of migrant education for the Patterson Unified School District, said he appreciates the youths’ involvement.
“Sometimes, as adults, we overlook the fact that youngsters do have something to contribute to society,” Rangel said. “As educators or education staff, we tend to spoon feed the students the materials required by the state curriculum, and in return we want stock answers, not letting students express themselves about public issues. Hopefully, their input can eventually turn to reality.”
Maria Alvarez, director of migrant education in Stanislaus County, said migrant students need a “learning hook” like the youth commission to stay involved and stay in school — especially in junior high and high school where there’s a high dropout rate for migrants.
“The major issues of our migrant students in adjusting is the cultural and language issues,” Alvarez said.
“Another one is the sense of belonging to a community because many of them move so much. This is only one opportunity for our students not only that they have a mission, but a team of people that they can help each other accomplish something for the community.”
To reach Maddy Houk at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail her at
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At a glance
- WHAT: Youth Action Commission of Stanislaus County
- WHO: Local commissioners are Cristina Tinoco and Samuel Contreras from Creekside Middle School and Luis Aguilar, Daniel Delgado, Tania Palmerin, Mana Ayala, Alfonso Chavez and Claudia Trego from Patterson High School
- WHY: Youth meet regularly with other commissioners and with local organizations to work on issues in their community
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