Monte Vista student Claire Chin organized a forum for local students to connect with local politicians and leaders on topics of interest.
DANVILLE, CA — Monte Vista High School student Claire Chin helped organize a Youth Public Forum, which brought together students from across Contra Costa and Alameda counties with local elected representatives to discuss hot-button issues.
Chin, who is president of Region 4 of the California Association of Student Councils, told Patch she organized a meeting so that students could get to know their local representatives who can affect change.
“I first came up with the idea of a Youth Public Forum during a casual conversation with friends,” she said. “Someone started complaining about mental health at a competitive school like Monte Vista, and I remember agreeing and bringing up the new suicide prevention hotline authored by Assembly Member Rebecca Bauer-Kahan. Their immediate response was: Who is that? That moment stuck with me. I realized that while students often have strong opinions about issues in their communities, many don’t actually know who represents them and can solve these issues.”
She spent the next two months contacting elected officials, and Contra Costa County Supervisors John Gioia and Candace Andersen, as well as Contra Costa County Office of Education Superintendent Lynn Mackey and Santa Clara County Board of Education President Maimona Azfal Berta, all agreed to participate.
On Aug. 30, these leaders joined 77 students from across the East Bay and local nonprofit leaders for a three-hour discussion on supporting vulnerable student populations, reducing stigma around mental health support, and pathways into civic engagement.
“The Youth Forum was such a meaningful and inspiring experience for me. Not only was I able to share my own journey with grief and mental health, but I also had the chance to listen to peers who are just as passionate about making change in our schools and communities,” delegate Rachel Hong said in a statement.
“I enjoyed hearing the panelists speak and seeing an adult perspective that we often do not get to see as students,” said another participant. “My favorite part is how panelists also got to ask student presenters questions as well, adding to the discussion between students, educators, and administration to create a better learning environment. We treated them with respect and got respect back, which is great to see. I hope that we can get amazing panelists again next year!”