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WOOD RIVER – Over the summer, Madison County Youth Board created a video featuring a few members sharing a collective voice for teens’ perspective on the global pandemic.
The COVID-19 novel virus which has grown in to a global pandemic has elicited months-long emergency response and mitigation strategies to try to slow the spread. During this time, Illinois was under a Shelter in Place Order that was dubbed by many as “Quarantine” (as they reference in the video), schools reverted to remote learning, businesses temporarily closed, and life as they know it changed. Teens were greatly affected by these changes as well but their voice wasn’t as present as adults. Madison County Youth Board (MCYB) represents schools and communities across Madison County and at their core they provide a voice for teens in the county. They wanted to do something to let others have a glimpse of the pandemic through the eyes of teens. They created a list of questions and decided on a number of members to be interviewed in the video. MCYB wanted to give a message of understanding, sacrifice, and hope during this unprecedented time.
Madison County Youth Board is an organization of leaders from high schools in Madison County who come together to identify issues affecting teens, develop solutions, provide a voice, and initiate action to address the issues. Currently, MCYB is focusing on three topic areas including: an anti-vaping campaign, identifying mental health issues among teens and making connections to fill those gaps, and a futures prep project which will be an online-based resource to help students, parents, and school personnel learn more about job and career opportunities and how to navigate the preparation for those steps during high school. MCYB meets monthly as a Board with Subcommittees meeting throughout the month as well. They have an Executive Board and follow Robert’s Rules of Order to conduct meetings and continue to expand their leadership skills and experience. Several agencies and organizations in the County help support MCYB to develop their initiatives and achieve their goals to impact the County.
To view or share their video, click here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P1x53UCJD1z9qiDU0fr7Uutx1ns7eJrA/view
For more information about MCYB or to complete an application for membership, please visit their website at:
https://sites.google.com/view/madison-county-youth-board/home?authuser=0
