RESPONSIBILITIES BACKGROUND The Youth Commission shall have the following duties The Miami-Dade County Youth Commission wascreated by County and responsibilities: Ordinance in 2011 as part of the vision of Commissioner Barbara J. a) Foster increased youth involvement in the affairs of Jordan, District 1. Its purpose is to provide young people with a vehicle County government; to participate in the process of County government. Motivated students b) Study problems and hold forums on issues, activities from each Commission district represent and articulate the needs of and concerns of youth in the County; youth in Miami-Dade and advise the Mayor and Board of County c) Comment upon existing or proposed legislation, Commissioners on matters affecting the youth population. ordinances, resolutions and policies that impact the youth in Miami-Dade County; The Miami-Dade County Juvenile Services Department (JSD) is d) Present methods to resolve youth-related conflicts implementing The Youth Commission, under the umbrella of the Miami- between youth and between youth and adults; Dade Violence Intervention Project (VIP), an initiative that is addressing e) Recommend the implementation of community violence throughout the County. The basic component of the VIP has programs to improve the lives of youth; been its uniqueness in pulling young people together as the primary f) Monitor programs and policies that affect youth to motivators in addressing issues in their neighborhoods and schools. Part ensure that they are achieving the intended results; of the visionary strategy of the VIP is to give youth in Miami-Dade the g) Work with other youth organizations in the County to tools to take their voices to the halls of government. collaborate on shared issues and interests; h) Submit to the Mayor and Board of County Through the collaborative efforts of Miami-Dade governmental officials Commissioners an annual report of the activities of and departments, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and other the Commission prior to the end of the regular school community supporters, the Youth Commission is a positive model for year; young people. Officials hear firsthand what concerned teens have to say, i) Serve as the Violence Intervention Program have the opportunity to educate them about the governmental process, representative for their respective school, as and create a symbiotic relationship between youth and the County. permitted by the Miami-Dade County Public School System; QUALIFICATIONS j) Facilitate an annual Youth Summit in conjunction with the Juvenile Services Department The members of the Youth Commission must be between the ages of k) Utilize social networking sites and/or technology to fifteen (15) to eighteen (18) years at the time of appointment and be in engage and inform the youth of their community of the 10th, 11th, or 12th grade. To be qualified for appointment, students important County activities. must have a minimum 2.0 grade point average, demonstrate a sincere l) Participate in a workshop that will introduce the Youth interest and the motivation to work for the community, and have a Commission members to a County Commission background in community-based activities. Recommended students agenda process, a mock County Commission complete a full interview process. meeting, the role of the officials who appoint them and the County Attorney. Each County Commissioner appoints two public/private/parochial secondary school students in his/her district. The County Mayor, County Additionally, each member of the Youth Commission is to Clerk, and the Agenda Coordinator each appoint an ex-officio member meet with the official who appointed the Youth to the Youth Commission. Dade County Public Schools also appoints a Commission member on a quarterly basis, or at the voting member to the Youth Commission. Youth Commissioners may discretion of the appointing official, as is mutually serve two terms consecutively. convenient for the Youth Commission member and appointing official, to discuss teen and community issues of concern. For more information, contact (305) 755-6238 or email [email protected] Youth Commission website: www.Miami - dade.gov/youthcommission/ 2015 - 2016 Miami-Dade County Youth Commission District 1 Samone Cowart Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial High School Sierra Perry Miami Norland Senior High School Miami-Dade County District 2 Shaunteria Guerrier Mater Performing Arts & Entertainment Academy Mara Mathieu Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial High School Youth Commission District 3 Doris Rodriguez Miami Jackson Senior High School Jori Opara School of Advanced Studies-Wolfson Campus District 4 Cheyenne Mueller Miami Beach Senior High School Carlos A. Gimenez Alex Radick Miami Beach Senior High School Mayor, Miami-Dade County District 5 Stephanie Navarro Miami Palmetto Senior High School Daniela Armas School for Advanced Studies BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS District 6 Patricia Marrero Josè Marti MAST Academy Adriana Salazar iPreparatory Academy District 7 Jean Monestime, Chair Gia Castillo MAST Academy Maria Rodriguez Our Lady of Lourdes Academy Esteban Bovo, Jr., Vice-Chair District 8 Jason Egusquiza Belen Jesuit Cassandra Harding Coral Reef Senior High School Barbara J. Jordan District 9 Audrey M. Edmonson Hajar Wahman Coral Reef Senior High School Vershona Dean Coral Reef Senior High School Sally A. Heyman District 10 Bruno A. Barreiro Jose Leoncio TERRA Environmental Research Institute Vanessa Ortega iPreparatory Academy Rebeca Sosa “Our Voices Matter” District 11 Xavier L. Suarez Sabrina Rosell TERRA Environmental Research Institute Emelie Reyes G.Holmes Braddock Senior High Daniella Levine Cava District 12 Dennis C. Moss Aaron Valdes Josè Marti MAST Academy Daniel Iglesias Mater Academy Javier D. Souto District 13 Joe A. Martinez Brian Rodriguez Monsignor Edward Pace High School Claudia Cardenas Mater Academy José “Pepe” Diaz Ex- Officio Appointments Miami-Dade County Mayor Sarah Ethtessadi Michael Krop Senior High School Giselle Gallardo John A. Ferguson Senior High School Miami-Dade Commission Chair Daniela Bond School of Advanced Studies Miami-Dade County Clerk Salma Abderlrahman Coral Reef Senior High School Agenda Coordinator Laura Romero Coral Reef Senior High School Miami-Dade County Public Schools Board of Education Logan Schroeder-Stephens Ronald Regan Doral Senior High School .