Three years ago, in 1998, the LAN 57 Youth Advisory Board was created to give the youth in our community a stronger voice in local volunteering. Past projects have included recruiting young volunteers to help with short-term events such as a “senior prom” and tutoring. The original board was comprised of a hand full of teenagers from local high schools recommended by the principals. The next year’s members were nominated by the existing members, interviewed, and then voted on by the board.

This year, our mission is a little different. Instead of many small-term projects, all of our efforts will go towards creating a website listing all of the surrounding volunteer opportunities for youth. These opportunities will be listed according to the age of the volunteer, by location, and the preference of the volunteer.

This unusual and unique project has made everyone on this board put forth an overwhelming amount of work and dedication. The Youth Advisory Board has given all of its members the opportunity to show their leadership skills and improve on any problem with teamwork. The largest driving force influencing our board is the number of youth this will reach and how many people will benefit from these volunteers.