Listening to the Youth Voice

The Teen Advisory Council (TAC) began in 1988 with 12 students and now has over 100 high school members who meet at 5:55am every other Friday morning during the school year. TAC engages students from area high schools in youth-led leadership development and community service projects. The Council collectively contributes thousands of hours of service annually within our community. As TAC members, students plan and facilitate collaborative projects involving diverse community organizations, encourage civic responsibility among their peers, develop relationships with positive adult mentors, and build a stronger local community through their active leadership

TAC is led by an Executive Committee made up of elected officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, Historian) and the co-chairs of TAC’s nine committees. These high school students prepare all business of the Council and foster the success of their member-peers.

Serving on the Teen Advisory Council prepares students for the challenges they will face in the future as college students, employees, employers and volunteers while encouraging them to be a positive force in our community today.

Christina (JoJo) Butler’s Story

“Being a part of TAC these last three years has developed my love for servant leadership beyond what I imagined possible. YR has become one of my passions and something that brings me a lot of joy.

I was able to challenge myself by taking on a leadership position in TAC Exec. Having this role has definitely placed me outside of my comfort zone. Being that I am relatively shy, it was a harrowing challenge that I wasn’t sure I could overcome. But the inclusive environment that has been created by those in leadership positions around me, has made my experience feel like anything but work.

I have gained the ability to make connections, to encourage people to engage in what they are doing and to really embrace being a servant leader. Learning these skills has helped me in everything from starting my first job to giving presentations in class. The skills that I have learned in this program will not only help me when serving but in my academic, personal, and professional life as well.

I love that TAC is a organization full of motivated, loving, and hard working people. You will never find another program that radiates joy and inclusivity more than Teen Advisory Council. The interactions at our bi-weekly at-large meetings are focused, but also fun! We work to plan any events we have organized and help our members stay on top of things so they can reach their service goals. ”

Christina is a senior at Reitz High School and has been involved in YR’s programs for 3 years. She is a member of the Teen Advisory Council’s Executive Committee and a 2019-20 TEENPOWER Youth Staff member.