Topic: Youth Advisory Boards and Committees

Question: Does your program have a youth advisory board or committee?

Responses from Coordinators:

Erin Schellhardt
Johnson County Youth Court
c/o Johnson County Court Services
1255 East 119th Street
Olathe, KS 66601
Phone: (913) 324-6900
Fax: (913) 782-3297
Erin.Schellhardt@jocoks.com

We have one advisory committee comprised entirely of youth representatives. (Youth Court Advisory Board). It has worked well and the kids make decisions regarding policies, procedures, etc. They also help plan for trainings, etc.

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Russ Landry/S.C.A.L.E.S
Project
Leon County Courthouse Rm 203-A
301 S. Monroe St.
Tallahassee, Florida 32301
Phone: (850) 488-4265
Fax: (850) 488-4264
www.nettally.com/teencourt

Leon County SCALES Project/Teen Court Program brings all policy questions or major decisions to the officers (teens) to be voted on and approved prior to implementation. Generally 8-12 officers are present when policy questions are discussed and voted on.

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Olivia Harrington
Duncanville Teen Court
P.O. Box 380280
Duncanville, TX 75138-0280
Phone: (972) 780-5063
Fax: (972) 780-5077
oharrington@ci.duncanville.tx.us

We have a Teen Board. They fulfill lots of responsibilities, like assigning cases and helping the new ones. And they help me!

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Marlene Todd
Lawrence County Teen Court
P.O. Box 227
Deadwood, SD 57732
Phone: (605) 578-2065
Fax: (605) 578-2065
teencrt@mato.com

We have one youth representative from our Youth Advisory Board sit on our Board of Directors. We also have a youth advisory board with 7 members on it that provides directions for our program.

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Sandy Varner
Teen Court of Texarkana, Inc.
P.O. Box 1967
Texarkana, TX 75504
Phone: (903) 798-3941
Fax: (903) 798-3933
Varner@txkusa.org

Texarkana has 10 members on the Teen Advisory Board. They may not vote but they may make recommendations to the regular Board of Director's.

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CeeCee Kaylor
Director
YSB-BB/BS of LaPorte County, Inc.
P.O. Box 1115
LaPorte, TX 77572-1115
ccmcconresol@vnet.net

We have two youth representatives on our advisory board and we have a total of 12 members on our board. We do not have any youth members on our board of directors and we have 12 adults on our board of directors. We have no youth sitting on our YSB Board of Directors. That would be a cruel thing to do to youth-how boring they would find the business of non-profits.& nbsp; BUT we do have 2 SAB Student Advisory Boards that make policy and decide on sentencing options and plan activities and annual recognition events.& nbsp; They are very active/involved in our Teen Courts.

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Lisa Venables
Sussex Teen Court, Inc
PO Box 335
Georgetown, DE 19947
Phone: (302) 856-9810
Fax: (302) 856-9896
Sussexteencourt@law.com

As we're in the early implementation phase of our program (will be holding our first Trials on March 13th), we don't currently have any youth officially serving on the Board. However, I have established a youth "student liaison" within each school district of our county - to empower them with an active voice & assist in motivating/recruiting volunteers. This practice as been received well by the teens, and I plan to expand their involvement towards your proposal.

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Nathan Miller
Wright County Teen Court
10 2nd St, NW Rm 141
Buffalo, MN 55313
Phone: (763) 682-7712
Nathan.Miller@co.wright.mn.us

Our program is run through our probation office and we don't have an advisory group.

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Laura Martin
Whatcom County Teen Court
1020 North State Street
Bellingham, MA 98227
Phone: (360) 734-9862
Fax: (360) 734-4720
lauram-nwys@uswest.net

Our Teen Court Student Advisory Board consists of 8 youth (one student per school represented). The number of adults on the board: 2 coordinators, 2 commissioners, 1 teacher-coach and 1 attorney. (14 total).

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Jason Bergstrand
Cass County Youth Court
1325 11th Street So.
Fargo, ND 58103
Phone: (701) 271-3253
Fax: (701) 235-7359
jbergstrand@lssnd.org

We have 5 adults and 2 students that make up our advisory committee. We have no set number on either adults or students. This is our current make up.

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Det.Sgt.Michael N.Torrillo
Amherst Police Department
500 J.J.Audubon Pkwy.
Amherst,NY 14228
Phone: (716) 689-1344
mtorrillo@adelphia.net

Our youth court is comprised of students from the 3 school districts in our town. There are 5 high schools in the town and we have 10 students from each of the 5 schools for a total of 50. There are 2 representatives of each school selected for the Executive Board.

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Judy Wolfe
Onondaga County Youth Court
555 South State Street
Syracuse, NY 13202
Phone: (315) 435-5707
Fax: (315) 435-1718
ycourt@dreamscape.com

We are just now forming advisory committees for each of our regional courts that are made up of the officers in the court and judges and 4-5 youth. Our members will be voting on who they want to represent them based on dedication to program and seniority.

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Rosa Macias-Lugo
Leavenworth County Teen Court
314 Delaware
Leavenworth, KS 66048
Phone: (913) 682-8222
ROSAANDCHRISTINA@aol.com

The Leavenworth County Teen Court program has 13 adults and 2 youth (one 12th grader and one 9th grader) that sit on our board that meets monthly.

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Susan Goettsch
Unit Director/Coordinator
Granite Falls Boys & Girls Club/Teen Court
307 N. Alder
Granite Falls, WA 98252
Phone: (360) 691-1300
susangoettsch@hotmail.com

We have our two student judge's sit on our advisory board. I am the coordinator and we have four adult advisory board members for a total of seven advisory board members.

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Susan Watkins
Eastern Jackson County Youth Court
3310 NE Rennau Drive
Lee’s Summit, MO 64064
Phone: (816) 524-4302
Fax: (816) 524-4340

Currently we have 4 youth, 4 youth alternates, and 5 adults on our steering committee

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Lisa Abert-Konecky
Mat-Su Youth Court
290 E. Herning Ave
Wasilla, WA 99654
Phone: (907) 373-9045
Fax: (907) 373-9075
msyc2@ci.wasilla.ak.us

We have two official seats on our Advisory Board for students to come to meetings, however we have had as many as four or five students come to the meeting (we buy them lunch!) and give their input. Our meetings are informal for the most part and everyone has equal say. The adults are always asking for students to give their opinions on topics during the meetings.

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Paulette Foley
Stratford High School
951 Crowfield Blvd
Goose Creek, SC 29420
Phone: (843) 820-4000
PauletteFoley@aol.com

We don't have an advisory board since we work within the school system. I do, however, have four student "teen court officers". Their main function is to help organize and set up each trial.

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Eric Watkins
Owego Youth Court
Owego Police Department
Owego, NY 13827
Phone: (607) 687-2233
Fax: (607) 687-2235
juvenile@stny.rr.com

I have three YC members who sit as non-voting members of my Community Juvenile Resources Board. We have 28 members from the immediate community--professionals and business people. Only about 12 are really active. I have also invited one set of parents of an offender to be voting board members beginning 3/1/01. Our youth members participate in meetings and also serve on various committees.

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Jennifer Strutz
Stayton/Sublimity Youth Peer Court
362 North Third Avenue
Stayton, OR 97383
Phone: (503) 769-5749
Fax: (503) 769-6408
Jastrutz@aol.com

Stayton Sublimity (Oregon) has one to three youth that sit on the Advisory Committee. They (youth) have their own committee that is comprised of 10-15 youth. Our state organization has quarterly meetings and anywhere from 2-15 youth representing the different peer courts around the state come with Association members.

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Nancy Anne Livingston
Youth Development Agent
Vilas County UW Extension
330 Court Street
Eagle River, WI 54521
Phone: (715) 479-3749
nancy.livingston@ces.uwex.edu

We have had two students sit on the Teen Court Advisory Board since the beginning stages. For WTCA, Inc. the plea is out for students to join the coordinators at our quarterly meetings as voting members of WTCA...

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Les Schultz
Brown County Teen Court
P.O. Box 248
New Ulm, MN 56073
Phone: (507) 233-6620
Fax: (507) 233-6649
les.schultz@co.brown.mn.us

No, we have an adult teen court advisory board and a youth advisory board.

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Anne Dubinsky
Lewisville Teen Court
P.O. Box 299002
Lewisville, TX 75029
Phone: (972) 219-3671
Fax: (972) 219-3414
adubinsk@cityoflewisville.com

Because our program is funded solely by the city of Lewisville, I do not have a board. However, I do have a volunteer advisory board comprised of youth volunteers. We meet typically twice a year and they provide input and ideas on the program, and leadership for the other volunteers. A new board is appointed each year at our August training session with anywhere from 6 to 12 members.

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Julie Fahlmann
Warren County Youth Court
3019 State Route 4., Ste 2
Hudson Falls, NY 12839
Phone: (518) 746-1527
Fax: (518) 746-1779
warrenctythcrt@yahoo.com

We have our next board meeting next Wednesday. On the agenda we are going to appoint one Youth Court Member and one past defendant. I hope this helps-our Advisory board sits 8 adults at this time. I can let you know how the appointed youths come along if you like.

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Robyn McShane
LaPorte Teen Court
c/o Youth Service Bureau
906 Michigan Avenue
Laporte, IN 46350
Phone: (219) 362-9587
Fax: (219) 324-5024
robynm0603@hotmail.com

I am Robyn, the new LaPorte Teen Court Coordinator. I received a forward from Cee Cee about our youth representatives. Cee Cee already informed you that we do not have any youth on our YSB Board of Directors. But we do have a Student Advisory Board which includes eleven youth that are active in Teen Court. We meet once a month and they discuss current Teen Court news, new sentence options, trainings, and any activities we have going on for the month with Teen Court. Please contact me if you have any more questions.

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Chris Hodges
Delaware County Youth Courts
111 Main Street
Delhi, NY 13753
Phone: (607) 746-2325
Fax: (607) 746-8867
youth@catskill.net

Our by-laws here at the Delaware County Youth Bureau (NY) state that the board should be comprised of 13 - 18 board members, two of which MUST be youth representatives. Furthermore, we are in the process of sending out a correspondence that suggests Youth agencies AND municipalities include youth on their Boards/Governing Bodies as well. Also, when we "monitor" our funded programs, we ask the question: "Are youth invited to sit as Board Members for your agency?" If agencies answer no, we always make the suggestion that they consider doing so.

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Art Eberhart
Niagara Falls Youth Court
9501 Colvin Blvd.
Niagara Falls, NY 14302
Phone: (716) 283-3991
Fax: (716) 283-4032
ArtE498043@aol.com

We have four youth that sit on the Juvenile Justice Board, Youth Court is only one of their projects. The youth are two youth court members and two youth forum members, those organizations overlap as any of the kids are involved in both. We also have two additional youth court members that are members of a specific committee of the JJB. So it is a total of six. The number of adults, and they are composed of people from a cross section of the community, averages about twenty active. When the JJB was discussing the implementation of the Youth Court the steering committee consisted of five people, one of which was a youth, in fact she was at the time the President of the Youth Forum. So the involvement and input from the youth side is and has been good.

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Debbie Holland
Ontario County Youth Court
3088 Co. Complex Drive
Canandaigua, NY 14424
Phone: (716) 396-4519
Fax: (716) 396-8821
Deb.Holland@co.ontario.ny.us

In response to your question regarding youth representatives. Our YC Advisory Committee consists of 10 adults and 5 student youth court members.

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Mary Beck
Midland Teen Court
615 West Missouri, #226
Midland, TX 79701
Phone: (915) 689-1065
Fax: (915) 689-1087
TEENCOURT@prodigy.net

The Midland Teen Court Board of Directors has 24 members (authorized to have up to 30). Included is 1 student member and me as Executive Director.

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Wendy Leach
North Start Youth Court
800 Cushman Street
Fairbanks, AK 99654
Phone: (907) 457-6792
Fax: (907) 457-6791
nsyc@mosquitonet.com

North Star Youth Court (Fairbanks) has an equal number of youth and adult reps on the Board (9/9). The youth who pursue Board membership gain so much out of their experience with youth court aside from the court volunteer roles.

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Karen Green
Coordinator
Placer County Peer Court
671 Newcastle Road., Ste 7
Newcastle, CA 95658
Phone: (916) 663-9227
Fax: (916) 663-2965
JGreengolf@aol.com

Eight youth are regular voting members of the Placer Peer Court Board of Directors along with two Judges, the Chief Probation Officer, the District Attorney, a Deputy Public Defender, a local police officer, a representative from the County Office of Education, two teachers, a representative from The Juvenile Justice Commission, and a local business person. We will not do business with or support so called "Youth Programs" who do not have active participation by youth at the policy making level. We believe that youth are not only capable and enthusiastic at the policy making level, but that it is our responsibility as involved adults to mentor them into strong leaders and good citizens who will continue to contribute to their communities in the future.

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Michele Carlton
Jefferson County Youth Court
7 Empsall Plaza Courtyard
Watertown, NY 13601
Phone: (315) 785-0333
Fax: (315) 785-0332
youthcrt@imcnet.net

I have 3 Youth Court members who sit on my Advisory Board along with 14 adults from various backgrounds such as school administrators, police, probation, college professors, and other community professionals.

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Jennifer Belber
Niskayuna Youth Court
One Niskayuna Circle
Niskayuna, NY 12309
Phone: (518) 386-4570
Fax: (518) 386-4515
JBelber@niskayuna.org

We are just in the process now of putting a youth on our "management team". It is a smaller group (6) of working advisory board members and we feel the input from a youth member would be very beneficial. We are actually considering put a senior and a lower classman on the team, so that we can have the input from an experienced member as well as a newcomer.  We will probably limit it to just 2 youth, because we want to keep the group small and workable.

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LeAnn Chaney
United Youth Courts of Alaska
121 West Fireweed Lane, Ste 240
Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone: (907) 278-1165
Fax: (907) 278-1121
LChaney@citci.com

In response to your question on youth representatives... The UYCA does not have an advisory board, only a board of directors. Our board is comprised of 1-2 representatives from each youth court in Alaska. So far our board has 8 youth, with 3 youth elections pending. There are 10 adults for a total of 21 once elections are complete.

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