FAIRFIELD, CA (MPG) – Solano County Office of Education’s Solano Youth Coalition (SYC) is accepting applications for new members residing in Solano County, ages 14 to 21, who are attending school full time. Currently, SYC includes 20-25 youth members representing each city in Solano County, and SCOE hopes to expand the program to engage even more Solano youth.

The mission of the SYC is to raise community awareness of social and health issues facing teens. Through open conversations, proactive involvement, and collaboration among the next generation of youth advocates, SYC members are instrumental in educating fellow youth and in advocating for positive change to better the lives of families in our communities. 

In past years, SYC members chose to focus their efforts around issues related to alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention, mental health awareness, violence prevention, and healthy relationships. This coming year, the Solano Youth Coalition will also focus extensively on work to address racism and unconscious bias by fostering equity-minded leadership strategies, and cultural responsiveness. These efforts will include collaboration with local faith-based organizations as well and training and curricula development for educators and local youth.

“Aspects of the Solano Youth Coalition program like peer-to-peer discussion and collaboration, awareness and prevention campaigns, and service-learning projects, offer invaluable opportunities for our young people. The program provides teens with support and empowers them with an outlet to lead other youth in creating positive changes in their own communities. Supporting impactful leadership in youth is critical to paving the way for a better way of life for future generations that are focused on mutual respect, understanding, and equity.” Remarked Solano County Superintendent of Schools Lisette Estrella-Henderson.

Solano County Office of Education staff help SYC members develop leadership skills, examine their communities, and identify issues that need action. SYC members are supported in applying what they have learned to being advocates for policy change, cultural shifts, and helping others within their own community. SYC strives to build positive and healthy youth-adult partnerships as well as engage youth to be active leaders and resources.

Students interested in joining SYC should apply no later than Friday, July 10, 2020. To apply online visit https://tinyurl.com/SYC20-21 or contact Johanna Nowak-Palmer at (707) 646-7608.                    

Solano County Office of Education (SCOE) provides support and fiscal oversight for Benicia, Dixon, Fairfield-Suisun, Travis, Vacaville, and Vallejo school districts which serve approximately 64,000 students. Solano County Superintendent of Schools, Lisette Estrella-Henderson is elected by voters of Solano County. The Superintendent is a state constitutional officer who serves as the chief executive officer of SCOE and as a liaison between local school districts and the state.