North Little Rock, AR Mayor's Youth Council
Type: Program
Status: Ongoing
Source File: http://www.northlittlerock.ar.gov/programs-resources/MYC/default.asp
Description:
Mission Statement:
The Mayor's Youth Council is a community based youth organization that is North Little Rock’s response to meeting the goals for our youth as set out by America’s Promise. To that end, opportunities will be provided for our youth to grow and learn through serving their community while volunteering in the metropolitan area’s non-profit agencies.
America’s Promise:
- To mentor – to provide an ongoing relationship with a caring adult
- To protect – to provide safe places and structured activities during non-school hours
- To nurture – to be sure that they have a healthy start
- To teach – to give them marketable skills through effective education
- To serve – to provide opportunities to give back through community service
Who is involved?
The Students
A Council of 85 North Little Rock secondary students has been drawn from public and private schools that serve NLR students ages 14 to 18 in the metropolitan area. Care is taken to insure diversity among the Council members as to ethnic and socio-economic background. Students from grades 8-12 are nominated by their school’s principals, teachers, counselors, or by adults in the community. Council members are chosen for their dependability, community spirit, and attitude toward others. Once students are chosen they may serve until they graduate.
The Executive Director
The Director sets up meetings for the first Monday and Thursday of each month. Meetings are held at 6:30 at the NLR School Board Room at the Administrative Offices on Poplar Street, or at the NLR Community Center on Pershing. The Director plans activities, speakers, the agenda, and keeps a record of hours served. Through these activities with area non-profits, members are given the opportunity to grown and serve and learn in a safe environment. The Executive Director is Jan Scholl. There is an executive board of 8 council members who help make decisions that help plan the year’s activities and format for meetings.
Community Adults
The Mayor, The City Council, parents of members, and an Adult Advisory Board are encouraged to attend meetings and projects to get to know the members and to hear their concerns.
Cooperating Non-profit Organizations
Our community’s non-profit organizations work with the Council to provide them opportunities to experience service projects that will help them to understand that agency’s role in the community. Such agencies are the Boys and Girls Club, the Arkansas Rice Depot, the Salvation Army, the American Cancer Society, Carelink (Meals on Wheels), the Children’s Museum of Arkansas, the Museum of Discovery, the City of NLR, Laman Library, Families are Special Adoption Agency, Arkansas Cares, and Our House Homeless Shelter. Last year the Council gave over 6000 hours of service to the area’s non-profits. Twenty-seven members earned over 100 hours, thereby earning the Presidential Service Award. Six seniors received the scholarships of $1500 each for their service of over 100 hours. Scholarship funds were made available by the Coca Cola Company, Mid-South Promise Mini-grants, and the NLR School District.