Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs\u2019 recently hosted her fifth Annual Youth Leadership Conference at Rollins College in Winter Park. The conference welcomed more than 200 high school student leaders from 23 Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) and the nonprofit teen group Family & Friends United, Inc.<\/p>\n
The half-day event engaged students and taught them about the functions of local county government, how to better participate in community initiatives and provided insight on how to strengthen their leadership skills.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis conference showcases the many facets of local government and how our students can get involved at any age,\u201d Mayor Jacobs said. \u201cFrom meeting with government and community leaders to participating in mock hearings, students learned about their local government and how decisions are made in a real-world setting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Isaiah Rutledge, an 18-year-old senior at Boone High School, participated as a witness in a mock Code Enforcement Board case involving the alleged discovery of illegal substances at a local residence.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thoroughly enjoyed Mayor Jacobs\u2019 Youth Leadership Conference,\u201d Rutledge said. \u201cI learned that Code Enforcement is a multi-faceted job and they have to deal with very serious issues and crimes. I’m excited about getting involved in my local government. Now that I am registered to vote this year, I want to volunteer as a poll worker in the local elections.\u201d<\/p>\n
Students also participated in a Youth Issues Forum led by Mayor Jacobs, Orange County School Board Vice Chairman Nancy Robbinson and OCPS Chief Academic Officer Dr. Scott Fritz, where they discussed topics of importance to this generation. The top issues of concern that were presented included literacy, the effects of standardized testing, cyber bullying and negative peer pressure.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe choices will be yours, and the decisions about using our resources and tax dollars to create a community in which you will want to live and raise your families will be yours one day,\u201d Mayor Jacobs said during her closing remarks. \u201cThis generation is so much more aware of how government can affect your lives and how you can make a difference in your community.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Youth Leadership Conference was founded by Mayor Jacobs in 2011 to connect students with their local government. About 1,000 local student leaders have participated in the program since its inception.<\/p>\n