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Home My WebLink About4.12 Appointments to the Youth Advisory Committee and Student Representative to the Parks and Community Services CommissionSTAFF REPORT CITY COUNCIL Page 1 of 3 Agenda Item 4.12 DATE:May 18, 2021 TO:Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM:Linda Smith, City Manager SUBJECT:Appointments to the Youth Advisory Committee and Student Representative to the Parks and Community Services Commission Prepared by: Henry Siu, Recreation Coordinator EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The City Council will consider confirmation of the Mayor's recommended appointments of three middle school and 10 high school youths, along with three alternates, to the Youth Advisory Committee for the term of June 1, 2021 through May 31, 2022. The City Council will also consider confirmation of the Mayor's recommended appointment of Pratyush Rallapally as the Student Representative to the Parks and Community Services Commission for the term of July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Confirm the Mayor’s appointments to the Youth Advisory Committee and the Student Representative to the Parks and Community Services Commission for the 2021-2022 term. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None. DESCRIPTION: Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) Appointments The term of office for the current YAC expires on May 31, 2021. During the months of February and March 2021, recruitment efforts took place to encourage middle school and high school students to apply for appointment to the upcoming term of office. The openings were advertised by way of a press release, emails to the principals at local middle and high schools, PeachJar, Facebook, the City’s website and through additional City communication channels. Per the Bylaws and Rules of Procedure, the YAC includes a minimum of nine and a maximum of 13 youth members, plus three alternates. At least three must be from middle school and six from 760 Page 2 of 3 high school. If there are insufficient applications to meet the middle school to high school ratio, the Mayor may make appointments from any of the grade levels. The Mayor, with confirmation of the City Council, appoints the youth members and alternates. A total of 44 applications for the YAC were received by Staff: 29 from high school students and 13 from middle school students. Two of the applications were incomplete. Mayor Hernandez recommends appointment of the following middle and high school students to the YAC: Members Grade in 2021-22 School Kavin Berry 7th Wells Middle School Mahidhara Sudeendra 8th Cottonwood Creek School Anay Sharma 8th Fallon Middle School Saiesha Goel 9th Dublin High School Esha Shenoy 10th Dublin High School Matthew Mendes 10th Dublin High School Advaith Krishna Anoop Krishna 10th Dublin High School Brandon Maskey 11th Dublin High School Deepika Puli 11th Dublin High School Krittika Senthilkumar 11th Dublin High School Mihika Bhatnagar 12th Dublin High School Aditi Bongu 12th Dublin High School Logan Lin 12th Dublin High School The Mayor also recommends the following alternates: Name Grade in 2021-22 School Alternate #1 Sofia Lembo 10th Dublin High School Alternate #2 Aarav Surapaneni 11th Valley Christian School Alternate #3 Anika Kolan 10th Dublin High School Student Representative to the Parks and Community Services Commission The current term of the Student Representative to the Parks and Community Services Commission expires on June 30, 2021. During the months of February and March 2021, recruitment efforts took place to encourage high school students to apply for the position for the upcoming term of office. Three applications were received by the deadline. Mayor Hernandez recommends the appointment of Pratyush Rallapally as the Student Representative to the Parks and Community Services Commission for the term commencing on July 1, 2021 and expiring on June 30, 2022. Pratyush Rallapally will be a Junior at Dublin High School next school year. 761 Page 3 of 3 STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE: None. NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: The City Council Agenda was posted, and acopy of the Staff Report was sent to the applicants being considered for appointment. ATTACHMENTS: 1) Youth Advisory Committee 2021-22 Applications 2) Parks and Community Services 2021-22 Student Representative Applications 762 Recommended 2021-2022 YAC Applicants Attachment 1 2 First Name Kavin Last Name Berry Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Wells Middle School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 7 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I feel I am fortunate enough to live in Dublin and go to school here. I have access to all modern amenities. But some people are not that lucky. I want to give back to my community. I love to volunteer and help out as much as I can. I want to get involved with the city’s events and also learn leadership skills. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I am very friendly and cooperative. I want to volunteer and help out the community. I set a goal first and then work hard diligently to achieve it. Sometimes I face failure too but I work even harder. I can help others achieve their personal goals too by encouraging and helping. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? The teens need a better direction. The pandemic has taken away a year from all. The online learning is not helpful for some students. It is leading to depression and mental fatigue. YAC can get involved with the teens and speard awareness about depression, drug abuse and mental issues. 3 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? I play basketball & attend Boy Scouts. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? Teens can get involved by volunteering at various city events. Raising awareness about social issues. Fundraising for important causes. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? no 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Letter of recommendation.docx Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Mahidhara Last Name Sudeendra Street Address City Dublin State California Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Cottonwood Creek K-8 School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 8th Grade 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I would like to be a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee, to help our community thrive. I want to give back to the community that has helped me prosper, by helping it do the same. I want to inspire people to help the community, and actively be part of it. I enjoy organizing and doing group projects. In 2018, I participated in Destination Imagination. In 2019, 2020, and 2021, I have taken part in my school's science fair. When I learned that the Youth Advisory Committee organizes and participates in various events like science fairs, I was interested. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? Skills I possess that would make me a strong candidate for the YAC are speech, the ability to make quick and supportive decisions, creativity, and teamwork. I can convince someone with my voice, getting my point to them effectively and on topic. I have the ability to make quick and supportive decisions when given seconds to make a decision. I have creativity, helping me 3 to make new solutions to a problem, visually represent things, design and build things, and get my point across. I can work well with a team, getting not only my part done, but also helping a teammate with their part. In a team, I work focused and on task. I minimize even small disagreements, by showing the teammate how my plan would work and then asking to see theirs too. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? Some issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with are stress and too much screen time. Teens in Dublin are facing stress during distanced learning, with the several assignments they have to complete per day. These several assignments are all on different digital platforms, which make it hard to constantly be on the move from website to website, to submit assignments after assignments, and to go to sleep at 10:00 in the night. All this time is spent in front of the computer that too, without any social life. This can really harm their eyes, and begin to isolate them from the rest of society. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? Activities that I am currently involved in, and plan to be involved in the 2021-2022 school year are singing Carnatic music, playing the clarinet, making LEGO Stopmotion videos, and I am also learning Python. I also am planning on doing next year's science fair. Yes, I will be able to devote time each month to YAC Activities and Meetings. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? I would encourage other teens to participate in activities by stating positive aspects about the events, benefits(both for the community and for themselves), and state different points of it to different groups of people, based on their interests. I could tell two of my friends about the event, and ask them to tell two other people about it, and so on until most of the teens in the community know about it, and can participate in the events. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? No, I have not attended a meeting regarding those topics. I would definitely take the opportunity in attending one of those meetings when possible. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. 4 Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Letter of Recommendation - Mahi Sudeendra.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Anay Last Name Sharma Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Fallon Middle School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 8th grade 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? Dublin is the city I have lived in for the majority of my life. Dublin has done so much for many people in this city, including me. The city built parks, houses, stores, even a water park. We have been using these facilities, but sometimes can forget to give back to the community. I have participated in many community events such as Picnic Flix, Splatter, Spring Eggstravaganza, Shamrock 5k Run, Tree lighting Ceremony, Breakfast with Santa, and Dublin Farmers’ Market. My family is really big on volunteering and that’s what inspired me to get started and develop my passion for it. My sister served on the YAC when she was in school. Because of them, I think ‘I will try contributing to the city every year. I started volunteering early in elementary school at the Dublin Library and participated in a creek clean-up and planting trees at the Dublin Pride Week. I want our city to thrive like it always has, and it needs people who are passionate about it to make the right choices that impact the community. YAC is the perfect platform because it 3 lets the youth take leadership and make choices that benefit the youth of the society. I love our city and just want to make it better. I was already on the committee last year and I loved the experience, but I wish I could’ve helped more. Due to the pandemic, we didn’t get too many volunteering opportunities. I would love to work with other student leaders in the city to find opportunities to make the best impact on the city even during these challenging times. I want to have a more active role as a citizen of Dublin and would love to be part of key decisions that impact the youth. I also enjoy volunteering and want to inspire more student participation by volunteering at the city youth events. Last year I loved making decisions and voting collectively to see what motions passed and I also had fun choosing the clubs that get a grant. This made me feel like I had the power to impact our community in beneficial ways. I have been a leader in other aspects of my life, such as in cricket and as part of my school, and have really learned a lot through my YAC experience. Now, I would like to take the learning from last year and make a more meaningful impact. Another term in the YAC is the perfect way for me to do so. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I have developed the skills I need to become a well-rounded person, such as being a quick learner, social, responsible, and a fair team player. I want to set up the website and online tools for Dublin’s YAC chapter. I have already started working on the website for the YAC and want to continue to improve it. I really want to make the Committee a better place and I definitely have the skills to help out the city. I’m a very energetic person and I love playing sports and showing leadership on the field. Inspired by Greta Thunberg, I created the Make a Change Club along with a friend and am currently serving as the secretary. At this club, our goal was to make students in Fallon Middle School aware of the imperfection that lies in this world and that there are many things we need to fix. I’m great at fundraising and organizing events as I led a fundraiser for Outdoor Education at Dougherty Elementary in 5th grade. We raised over one thousand dollars for the kids in our school. I have also participated in an event called Destination Imagination where we packed 1000s of meals for people in need. We got 1st place in the regional event and moved on to the state event. Our team had 7 people and to be successful, I really had to demonstrate responsibility and I had to show that I was a team player. I have been the student council representative for my class since second grade and I like being a part of decisions that have an impact on the community. Additionally, I am the captain of my cricket team and show my leadership on the field. With these experiences, I truly believe that I have a strong skill set to serve on this committee. I would like to get more 4 experience to develop them further by serving another term as well since I know it is important to always keep growing and learning. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? Some issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with are stress and anxiety. These are issues that really stand out during this pandemic. We can’t see our friends, there is a massive increase in workload, and getting used to virtual school is hard. The YAC could address this issue by hosting webinars that could talk about how to cope with stress and talk strategies that help others out. This could be an open mic event so that everyone could express themselves, how they feel, or even give a suggestion on how to deal with stress. As a teen, I know about the stress of managing grades, extracurriculars, and balancing everything out. Initially, I was too scared to talk about my stress. However, I had very supportive parents and friends who helped me cope with it. Not everyone is so lucky. With these events, we are encouraging people like me to let it out and talk about it. Another issue teens in Dublin are currently dealing with is staying physically fit. This pandemic has really hit teens hard and many people have stopped playing sports and stopped exercising. The YAC could address this issue by hosting masked, distanced, outdoor recreational activities. We could also host more exercise and nutrition-related webinars. Additionally, we could help set up a few more 5k runs and some yoga sessions in the outdoors (with distancing) to relieve people of their tension and stress and get them to exercise. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? I am currently doing a cricket class and most probably will play next year as well. Additionally, I take coding classes and I will continue those next year. I will definitely be able to devote time each month to YAC meetings and activities. I have already been able to participate in the 2020-2021 year with similar commitments and will be able to next year as well. I am really passionate about our city and will prioritize city-related events. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? 1. We can get teens involved in community events by advertising more (ie.email, flyers, creating a website, etc.). These advertisements can have a catchy visual, slogan, and fun activities. Usually kids (like me) like awards and we could have something small for everyone who comes. I think people will want to come if their friends are coming too, so if we get people to start coming to these events, then they can gain a lot of participation quickly. 2. We can also have events for problems or ideas relevant to an average teen’s life. We can advertise these events at popular places that teens go to, and have restaurant 5 fundraisers or bondings at these places. It’s important to create events that teens want to go to, which is why we should start by asking them what they are interested in. 3. We should also make the YAC a more prominent organization in the youth’s eyes. We should become more visible in the public eye, like by having booths at events like Dublin Pride, the Farmer’s Market, and more. 4. Lastly, due to the pandemic, lots of people have switched to virtual meeting platforms. To get teens involved, we could post announcements in students’ canvas pages and get teachers to briefly mention these events in their classrooms. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I have recently attended the YAC meeting on February 24 (I am part of the committee currently) and I found the item about the two new volunteering opportunities interesting because we have had many ideas, but due to the pandemic, we couldn't execute the ideas or volunteer. The two volunteering opportunities were for the new park opening and the St. Patrick's Day volunteering. I chose the park volunteering opportunity because as a kid I understand that parks are super fun to play in. This meeting showed me the true meaning of community service, which is helping others in your community so that they can benefit from your actions. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Recommendation letter to Anay.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Anay.pdf Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Saiesha Last Name Goel Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 9th Grade 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee because I am having a great time as a current committee member and I want to stay involved in the Dublin community! I also feel like it is a great opportunity for me to get exposure to the real world and be a helping hand for my immediate society. I also feel that being a part of this committee will give me the opportunity to advance in multiple skills like critical thinking, public speaking, decision making, community interaction etc. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? Some skills I possess that would make me a strong candidate for YAC are that I am responsible, organized, creative, a problem-solver, a strong leader, and a great team player. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and I believe some issues that the youth of Dublin are currently facing is the lack of activities for the older teens. The City of Dublin has done a great job in providing a lot of different 3 how do you think YAC could address these issues? activities for young kids, but when it comes to older teens, the city is not offering much. Some kids are not aware of their hobbies or favorite sports at a young age and since they are not offered for the older age kids, these kids miss out on possibly finding a late passion. Not having these opportunities is causing some kids to have mental health issues and face loneliness. I believe YAC could address these issues by collaborating with the Parks and Rec. Committee and trying to figure out a way to have more activities for older teens as well. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? Some activities I am currently involved in is that I am the president of my school's Photography Club and I may take part in some clubs when I get into high school. However, I will always make it a priority to devote my time each month for YAC meetings and activities. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? I will get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities by posting it on social media, talking to my friends and fellow classmates about the wonderful events and activities coming up. I will even ask my teachers to make announcements during classes or on Canvas. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? On February 24, 2021, I attended a YAC meeting because I am currently a committee member. One item that interested me was talking about the Recruitment process for the upcoming YAC members and the student representative for Parks and Rec. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Saiesha Goel YAC Letter of Rec..pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) YAC Letter of Recommendation (Mindes).pdf Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. 2 First Name Esha Last Name Shenoy Street Address City Dublin State California Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 10th 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I want to join the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee because I want to make sure that my peers' views and voices are heard. I understand how difficult it is for some to speak up in front of others and tell them how I feel about a subject and what their thoughts are. One of my primary priorities as a member of the YAC will be to ensure that such voices are heard. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? My ability to learn quickly and manage my time make me a strong candidate. I engage in a number of extracurricular activities after school, including school clubs, music lessons, computer programming, and basketball. Academics, along with extracurricular sports, are one of my strong suits, as I maintain my own schedule and know how to prioritize my responsibilities. 3 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? Teenagers in Dublin, I believe, are currently struggling with mental stress problems primarily due to the restrictions in the day to day activities because of COVID. YAC could help solve this problem by raising awareness about it and organize activities for teenagers that need assistance with their homework or simply provide an avenue where they can socialize, meet new people, and learn how to maintain their own wellbeing. Another problem I think teens face is that some of our voices and viewpoints are not being heard because we are uncomfortable expressing our thoughts to others and projecting our opinions is difficult. YAC can assist in resolving this issue by providing an easily accessible forum for teens to express their opinions, such as a blog or podcast where teens can submit their thoughts on a given subject. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? Extracurricular athletics and school clubs are two things that I am currently active in. I'm a member of Dublin High's STEM Femme club's graphic design unit, where we learn about and promote women in STEM fields. I am now a mentor for a 6th grader in the Gael Mentors club. Piano, violin, and computer programming lessons, as well as basketball, are all extracurricular events that I engage in. Because of my time management skills, I will be able to prioritize my tasks in addition to my schoolwork, enabling me to devote as much time as possible to YAC meetings and activities. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? Personally, I would use social media and group chats to get other teens interested in the school, teen events, and City- sponsored activities. I know other teenagers who would enjoy engaging in such activities but were unable to do so because they were unaware that such activities were taking place. I will be able to get more youth interested in the group by informing these students and many others. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I have not yet attended a YAC, Dublin Commission, or City Council meeting, but I hope to do so in the near future. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. 4 Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). ES Letter of Rec.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Matthew Last Name Mendes Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 10th (Sophomore) 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I love the City of Dublin community! I believe that by becoming a member of the Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) I could be a positive representative and role model for Dublin youth and teens. Public service and volunteerism is a passion that I discovered in recent years and I believe my passion would be well served as a member of the Dublin YAC. I also want to join Dublin YAC because it will give me an opportunity to interact with new people in the community. Learning the many perspectives on how youth and teens feel the city is working and seeing many different points of view is important and something I would enjoy. In 6th grade, I lived in Milpitas. In that school district, I was still considered an elementary school student. I wasn’t of age to be a part of the Milpitas Youth Advisory Commission but still was allowed to volunteer with their group. I volunteered at Sacred 3 Heart by assembling boxes of food for the less fortunate, helped run activities at the Chinese New Years' event, helped stock shelves at the Milpitas Food Pantry, participated in the Hidden Lake Park clean-up day, and much more. I feel my experiences could greatly support the Dubin YAC. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? My strongest contributing skill is patience. Patience is a necessary skill for being on a committee, team, or working with a group of people. If you are quick to jump to conclusions you may not learn all perspectives and gather all of the information. Also, I am very dedicated to my work. Dedication is one of the most important skills to have when being a member of any team, especially the YAC. When involved with YAC, dedication to attending all meetings and participating in community events is key to success. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? From my own experience, teens are dealing with a lot of stress because of online school. Teens feel that they need to be perfect or they won’t be accepted in society. I also know that teens dislike having to stay home all day and they never get to socialize with their friends. One way Dublin YAC can support teens could be to hold small grade-wide gatherings. I know that will be hard because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but we could hold the event outdoors in the afternoons on weekends so more people can come and they are staying a safe distance away with masks on. Teens need outlets to socialize. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? Currently, I am playing JV football for the Dublin High Gaels. When the football season is over I will be playing baseball on the Dublin High School freshman baseball team. I typically (before COVID-19) played football, baseball, and basketball, annually. During the 2021-22 school year I plan to play those sports and participate in the City of Dublin’s LEAD program (summer 2021). This will be my 2nd year volunteering at the City of Dublin Summer Camp programs. These activities would not interfere with my commitment to the Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC). 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? I will get other teens involved in the community by having schools, both middle school and high school, partner with YAC for events. This would be very helpful for students because there is a direct voice, their school, informing them that there is an event. This might make them want to come; maybe even 4 bring a friend or two. I would also encourage other teens to go because they can meet other people at the events and possibly make new friends. This is important for community building. I also feel that if we had more teens choosing what events are held, more teens would show up. Having a voice about the events would make them more interested and increase participation. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I personally have not been to any YAC meetings. But, before I join I would love to sit in on one to see what the atmosphere is like. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). 20210318111859144.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) MM Letter of Rec.pdf Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Advaith krishna Last Name Anoop Krishna Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 10 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? As a teenager, I would like to become a member of the Youth Advisory Committee so that I can help give back to my peers and my community. Also I would like to work with YAC to bring a positive change in my community, by being a voice there ,which in fact represents my peers for youth empowerment. I believe that youth is the future and of course they can make a drastic change in the society. I would like to initiate and assist with different opportunities that are presented to me in the YAC. In the future, I would also like to help build a stronger relationship between the youth of Dublin and the rest of the community. However, most of all, I want to become part of the YAC so I can become a voice that represents the youth of Dublin. 2. What skills do you possess that would make I believe my Public Speaking skills, commitment and leadership skills make me a good candidate for YAC. Another strong quality which I feel I've developed since my childhood is good 3 you a strong candidate for the YAC? listening skills and observation. I believe that only a good listener can follow directions. My first Public Speaking event was in 5th grade, when I did a speech for the 5th grade graduation, and since then I’ve spoken in other events multiple times since then. Leadership skills, I believe i've exhibited in various platforms, whether it's my Martial Arts class,where i'm an assistant instructor,where I enjoy working with small kids. My Cricket training camps and tournaments where I got oppurtunity to represent my club through out the State also provided me several oppurtunities to lead the team as a Captain. Of course, this sport taught me the life lessons of success and failure several times. I hope all these experience which I've lerned so far help me become a strong candidate for YAC, 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? I believe that one of the major issue faced by the teens, in Dublin and everywhere around us is Stress, peer pressure and depression. They are spending too much time on electronic devices, with the coronavirus pandemic still raging on, it's even worse. This in fact will prevent them from in -person activities such as sports. YAC need to encourage all the teens to actively participate in sports which will help them in the physical and mental health. Another issue which the Teens face is bullying in schools. YAC can address these issues by educating and empowering them by providing support services such as counselling. YAC can encourage them to actively participate in various volunteering activities also which will make them more committed to their community. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? Currently, I’m a member of HOSA at the DHS chapter where I am fortunate enough to volunteer in hospitals and serve my community. I have also been helping out as an instructor assistant at Empower Martial Arts. I started around January 2020, and I have continued to help out in online classes during the coronavirus pandemic. I enjoy and learn each and every moment being spend with the junior cubs. I'm a youth lead volunteer at SEWA international. Apart from playing cricket, I engage in helping and teaching beginners who joined the club the basics of cricket. To be actively getting engaged in these activities help strengthen the passion, is what i believe. Another life lesson which I learned is time management. I'm sure i'll be able to devote my time for YAC meetings and activities. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? I think the best way to get the teens involved in these activities is by providing awareness of various issues and the necessity of getting involved in addressing these problems. We should develop that passion in them which will be a motivation for them. They should feel that getting more and more involved in various events and activities will help them develop new skills 4 and help more in socializing with their peers. One thing I’ve been noticied is that many teens, especially high school students, love helping out in different volunteer drives and other activities, whether it is for giving back to the community. However, many teenagers aren’t being informed about these different volunteering opportunities. This is why I believe that the best way to get more teenagers involved in the community and different events is to articulate and advertise through social media and digital fliers about these events more, and inform these students about the benefits of these events. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? The last city council meeting I attended was for promoting cricket for young kids in Dublin, long before the pandemic started. I was fortunate enough to attend that meeting on behalf of the Fallon Middle School cricket team. The meeting occurred during the first half of 2018, and I was able to help advocate the idea of bringing more opportunities for the sport of cricket in Dublin. Our cause was a success, since the ground at Emerald Glen park is now being constantly cared for, and a plan to start a turf wicket ground near Fallon Sports Park has been put in place. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). recommendation letter.jpeg Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Brandon Last Name Maskey Street Address City Dublin State California Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 11th 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I’ve been a citizen of The New American Backyard since the day I was born, and what a beautiful backyard it has been. I learned how to ride a bike right here at Emerald Glen Park. I learned how to swim as a child at the American Swim Academy near the Dublin Civic Center. I’ve seen a lot in this city and I know a lot about it too. I want to become a member of the Youth Advisory Committee because I wish to address the issues that concern the youth of our city, to ensure that today’s youth can enjoy the quality of life in this city, and to make sure that the voices of Dublin’s youth are heard. I believe that I can wholeheartedly represent these voices. I have had the utmost respect for public service, justice, and the law. Being on the Youth Advisory Committee will improve my efforts to become a public servant. However, it is with great acknowledgment of what local public servants have already done during a momentous time in human history. The pandemic has given me much more respect for local officials to combat COVID-19, 3 and it has made me more active in the public sphere, writing letters with my parents that were sent out to the city council, cementing the idea of a career in public service. As a teenager that is affected by what the government does, I believe that the Youth Advisory Committee advises exactly what the city council should do to help benefit our livelihoods. I pledge to assist the city in making it a better place, be a role model for my sister, and represent Dublin's youth. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I see myself as a communicator that can speak out about the issues regarding Dublin’s youth. I can express my thoughts around issues easily, engage in discussions with other people, and lead others effectively. I participated in the Dublin LEAD program in 2019, where I assisted swim instructors at The Wave. The position has taught responsibility as I had to keep the children engaged with the swim lessons. When a swim instructor called in sick at the last minute, a volunteer and I took the initiative to lead the class. It took teamwork to teach the young students and we got through the lesson with appreciative parent responses. Also, as the co-founder of End AAPI Hate, I have spoken out to the public, to teachers, and to students about ending the hate against the AAPI community. I’ve taken on the role of a public speaker, advocating for pragmatic reforms that will benefit the AAPI community as a whole. I know that I can do the same for Dublin’s youth. I’ll work with fellow committee members, the city council, and other concerned citizens of this city to bring awareness towards diversity, equity, and inclusion in our discussions. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? The main issue that Dublin teens are facing is their mental well- being. When the Pew Research Center says that 32% of America's youth are “experiencing high levels of psychological distress" because of this pandemic, I believe the Youth Advisory Committee should be making a better effort to improve the mental health of our youth. As a member of the Bring Change to Mind club, a club dedicated to ushering in support for mental-health causes, this club has taught me how meaningful and important it is to evaluate one’s mental health. I am glad that alongside the Bring Change to Mind Club, Elephant in the Room project, and Dr. Munoz, Dublin High School’s school psychologist, we were able to establish a Wellness Center during my Freshman year at Dublin High. The Wellness Center has provided a variety of mental health programs that have helped many students, including myself. I believe that with the Youth Advisory Committee’s influence, along with the support of the youth, we can implement mental health programs, similar to the Wellness Center, for all of Dublin’s youth. 4 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? I am currently on the Cross Country and Track & Field team, representing Dublin High School for the past two years. I’ve been a member of CSF for the past two years, and I expect to continue being a member until I graduate. With fellow peers, I co-founded End AAPI Hate, a Tri-Valley based organization dedicated to ending the hate among the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. We started this organization after the attacks in Atlanta, Georgia. We’re spreading our voice online, within the local community, and at school. We’re dedicated to ending Anti-AAPI hate once and for all. In the 2021-2022 school year, I will commit to being a member of Bring Change to Mind for another year. I will commit to expanding the End AAPI Hate organization across the Bay Area for years to come. I will commit to spending another year on the Cross Country and Track & Field team, as it has greatly improved my ability to manage my time and stay in physical and mental shape. I am fully committed to the responsibilities and will devote time each month to YAC meetings and activities. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? I believe we should incentivize the need for teens to engage themselves in the City of Dublin. A great incentive for involvement is offering more opportunities to obtain volunteer hours. For events not requiring volunteer work, another way to get the message across is social media. Whether we like it or not, it is a great way to advertise events within the city. About 85% of teenagers have at least one social media account, with 62% of teenagers using social media for at least one hour every day, according to a study by YouGov. We can utilize personal social media accounts, local newspapers, or even the infamous Nextdoor app to inform parents about various events in the city. There should be more publicity by using the city’s social media accounts, utilizing the volunteer opportunities page more, and possibly implement a system to track volunteer hours of Dublin’s youth, similar to how the President's Volunteer Service Award had collected and maintained volunteer hours for those who volunteered for decades. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I have watched the City Council meetings with my father live on TV since the pandemic started. During the latest meeting on March 16th, I was interested in Item 4.6, a resolution that stood in support of the AAPI community, and condemned all forms of hate against the AAPI community. I am glad to say that the item passed unanimously from the city council. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be 5 submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Letter of Recommendation - Mrs. Augiar.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Letter of Recommendation - Mrs. Gergley.pdf Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Deepika Last Name Puli Street Address City Dublin State California Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin Highschool What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 11 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I want to be a member of the Youth advisory committee because I see this as an opportunity to contribute to the growth of youth participation and inclusion in Dublin. Being on the committee will allow me to voice opinions on mental health issues and the lack of community involvement that impacts many students. Since Covid has taken a toll on everyone's day- to-day routine, especially students, including myself, my goal is to create a smoother transition back into normal life, which creates several opportunities for teens to participate reopening Dublin. Students throughout Dublin face mental health adversities that challenge their school work and everyday life; a way to ease this is by creating a healthier environment for teens. These are just a select few of the goals that I would like to incorporate into YAC. Additionally, I want to create more opportunities for extracurriculars and build a platform for teens' voices to be heard. This opportunity will provide me with stronger qualities in leadership, responsibility, time 3 management, and cooperation. This will benefit me with experience for the future and enhance my skills for the workforce. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I feel my skill set is particularly well suited for being a YAC candidate. A strong quality I possess is keeping an open mind; I am a strong communicator, but I also possess proficient listener's characteristics. As an active member in the Lincoln Douglas debate, I not only can articulate my ideas well but also being able to demonstrate focused listening and feedback. Along with debate, I have learned to be good at cooperation and teamwork. My heavy involvement in tennis, dance, and school leadership demonstrates my ability to work with others under strict time and pressure. Before the pandemic, I was #1 doubles on the JV tennis team at Dublin High-school, my ability to quickly work with others and cooperate under stressful circumstances makes me a qualified candidate. Despite being the #1 doubles on the JV team, I constantly strive to become better and make varsity in the 2021-2022 school year. My hard work and dedication are represented not only in tennis but also in my work ethic. I am always willing to dedicate time and effort to all my work for the best outcome. This is represented in my extracurriculars, such as dance and tennis, where I strive for perfection. In addition, I can think quickly and effectively solve problems. Speech and debate have taught me to think on my feet quickly; an event that I recently completed in, called Spar, has made me a faster thinker due to its rigorous speech structure, short 1 minute brainstorming periods, and long questioning periods. This has taught me to think efficiently. These qualities benefit not only myself but also others because others know they can depend on me to bring relevant ideas. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? First, there should be more volunteer opportunities for students that help them strive to become better versions of themselves. These volunteering opportunities would increase youth involvement in the community. Volunteering ideas such as cleaning up our community, hosting events, and teaching younger kids should be promoted more and gives teens more chances to volunteer. To further improve these opportunities, I can help promote volunteer work such as volunteering for Dublin Heritage Parks and Museums, Alameda County Center for Healthy Schools and Communities, and working in food banks. Secondly, there are a handful of extracurriculars in Dublin that don't receive sufficient funding. Activities such as the arts, sports, and clubs at our schools don't raise enough money for the kids that participate in them. The YAC could resolve this issue by hosting fundraisers, organizing events to highlight the extracurriculars that need funding, and gaining 4 sponsorships from brands. Besides, serious issues like depression, harassment, and safety need to be addressed. Frequent informational seminars and social media posts can help create a more safe environment for teens. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? In the 2021-2022 school year, I will be actively involved in school tennis, speech and debate (Original Oratory and Lincoln Douglas), and Indian classical dance. I will have enough time to participate in YAC meetings and activities. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? There are several ways that teens can be involved in the community. If we create more volunteer opportunities for teens, it benefits both the community and the youth. Teens gain volunteer hours from helping our community, while Dublin benefits by getting more youth involvement. For example, hosting events that give volunteer hours to teens to clean up our community, providing younger students with resources and seminars that inform them on important issues present in the community. A way to branch out to the youth is through school announcements. Dublin High-school has video bulletins which can be an easy output to spread messages to teens. Another way to get motor teen involvement is through social media and promoting platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, and websites like Next-door and even the City Council page. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I have not 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Deepika Letter of Recommendation.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. 2 First Name Krittika Last Name Senthilkumar Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 11 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I would be honored to be a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee because I would like to advocate for the teen voices in Dublin. The main roles of a YAC member are providing input on services that impact youth, planning and promoting youth activities, and conveying issues that affect the youth in Dublin and trying to solve them. As a Dublin resident for the past 6 years, I strongly believe that I would make a good fit for a role that would include being involved in the community and knowing the strengths and weaknesses of elements in our city. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? The skills that I possess that would make me a strong candidate for the YAC are time management, advocacy, awareness, empathy, independence. Time management is crucial to being on this committee because we would have to bring up issues to the city council in a short period of time. Advocating for Dublin teens to be heard in meetings is the most 3 important part of the YAC, as we would be speaking on behalf of the youth’s opinions regarding matters in the community. I am aware of events and other important issues going on in not only our community but also in the nation. Being aware of events occurring would compromise one of the many qualities a YAC member should possess because they essentially have to know about what’s going on in our city and community and how they can help. Empathy and independence are significant skills that should constitute a candidate for the YAC because we would have to reach out to other teens to find out what issues there are, and show empathy and try to solve these issues. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? At this time of staying home due to the pandemic, the most popular issue teens are dealing with is mental health. Teens are experiencing isolation, anxiety, and fear because of the low interactions with their peers and fear of spreading the virus to their loved ones if they don’t adhere to restrictions. Although staying at home and attempting to limit the spread of the virus is essential to keeping our community safe, YAC could help teens with their mental health by creating events either virtually or in-person (due to the increase of vaccinations and red tier) to promote community bonding. Additionally, pushing out resources to help teens in Dublin with mental health would be extremely helpful from YAC, showing empathy towards our peers. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? Currently, I am a volunteer as a teen advisor for a program called Teen Talk under the organization Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters based in Los Angeles. I had the amazing opportunity to train to become an advisor virtually over the summer of 2020 due to the pandemic. As a Teen Talk advisor, I help out other teens take control of their social and emotional health by providing an easy way for them to get help from the group of people they trust most, their peers. Advisors are trained to help the users of the app with a variety of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, relationships, family issues, school, and more. I usually take around 3-4 shifts every month that last 2 hours each. Since we self-select our shifts, I can assure to devote time every month for YAC meetings and activities. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? Many teens are on social media such as Instagram, Snapchat, and Tiktok. In order to get other teens involved in the community, social media advertising and telling friends and classmates about events would spread the word efficiently. All the teens in Dublin go to middle school or high school, and as a high schooler myself, I have a greater outreach to tell people about events occurring in Dublin. Additionally, making posters 4 or flyers around the city would spread the news of an event to people who drive or go outside. If elected as a YAC member, I assure to do my best to spread the word about events and get as many teens to participate in activities. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I have not attended a YAC meeting, but have attended City Council meetings and School Board Meetings. The meeting date of the School Board meeting I attended was February 23, 2021. The topic that I was intrigued to know about was about summer programs in 2021 and credits out of high school. Our student school board representative, Katie Cheng, advocated for a vast majority of the student population at Dublin High school, pushing for more summer programs to be approved and not enforce a credit cap of courses taken out of high school. Thanks to the board meeting, our voices were heard and the School Board approved many summer programs that DHS will take, and no credit cap was enforced. I plan to attend the upcoming YAC meetings to learn more and know more about what’s going on in our city regarding teens. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). LOR Krittika Senthilkumar.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Youth Advisory Committee Application First Name Mihika Last Name Bhatnagar Street Address City Dublin 2 State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 12 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? There are multiple reasons I want to be part of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee, primarily being that this is my county, where I grew up and this would allow me to get a closer insight into decisions made for the youth in my county. I have confidence in my leadership skills that I developed through my High School years through various programs and activities. The variety of opportunities provided by the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee will also give me exposure and insight into helping solve problems that the youth in Dublin face and bringing our community closer. I was a Leader in Training for the City of Pleasanton 2019 Summer and it was an excellent opportunity to learn more about the programs that the City offers for kids. Through the program, I was able to meet many members of the community. During my time in the program, I came up with new ways to improve the experience for the kids attending the camp and it was a very rewarding experience. Being a part of Dublin’s YAC seems like a great way to continue to find ways to have an impact and work with other like-minded students. I am very excited to collaborate with other youth leaders and county officials, as well as, gain experience in the public sector. I can ensure that I will be committed to any position given via the academy and provide significant and recognizable contributions. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? Alongside the ability to collaborate and work with others, I am very strong when it comes to my analytical skills. I can methodize and strategize a course of action despite there being time constraints and obstacles along the way. When working with others I can devise a plan that is rational, reasonable, and feasible to achieve. In the past, when I was a mentor for a group of students participating in a competition 3 and they were struggling with the ideation process, I was able to step in and plan a course of action. Given there was a small- time frame, I was able to help them complete the project on time and submit their project for a competition. I did this by advising them to divide and conquer and incorporating all of their ideas in their solution. I am also able to communicate with others productively and efficiently. During engineering projects, the biggest concern would be not being able to communicate what we have done and what we have to do properly. I am very good at facilitating conversation and breaking that communication barrier even if meetings are online. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? Currently, the global pandemic has led to all people facing a change in social interactions. Specifically, teenagers who are used to meeting acquaintances having quick chit-chats during the school day, are not able to do so. This decrease in conversation with others can make teens overwhelmed with stress and anxiety from school and in need of support and uplifting talks with others. I am an FMP mentor at Dublin High School, and as a mentor, I can build bonds and friends via Zoom. Despite the lockdown we are in, FMP has allowed me to not only be able to meet new people, but just have lighthearted conversations. Likewise, I believe that what YAC could do to address these issues is form interactive virtual events and get students interested by having fun activities! Instead of just listening in on an event, it would be cool if students would just be able to talk with others as if it were a speed friendship- making game. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? I have been an active member of the Engineering Design Academy at my school, and I have formed and led two clubs since my Sophomore year of high school. I am the Founder and President of the Engineering Design Club and am currently the President of the Technovation Club at my School. Throughout this journey, I have gained communication and leadership skills that I would want to apply in the real world by participating, discussing, and presenting in the County forums. I will definitely be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities. I have a very balanced school and extracurricular workload, so participating in meetings and events will not be a problem. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, A majority of students these days use social media and I think that’s the best way to inspire students to it. Whether it’s through Instagram accounts, creative tik talks, or forums on Clubhouse, I think those are just some easy ways to capture people’s 4 and City-sponsored activities? interests and promote amongst students our age. Additionally, holding a leadership position in 3 different clubs on campus, I would actively promote these events within these organizations because I recognize the importance of creating a community. When we were promoting our Bloom and TEDx events, I created various marketing materials and a separate instagram account that eventually had 200+ followers. I think if we use these tools effectively, they can definitely be a very powerful way to promote and capture the attention of teens. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? Yes, I have attended several City Council meetings in the past. One of the recent meetings that I went to was in August of 2020. This meeting was about school reopening and what will happen. The outcome of this meeting was that we would be having school in the online format for a couple of weeks. This was extremely interesting to hear as I would like to focus on this issue if I become a member of the Youth Advisory Committee. It is important that we try to get students in the hybrid mode soon as it will be crucial to reopening and getting things back to normal. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Mihika B. - Letter of Rec.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Trishala Jain Letter of Recommendation to Mihika Bhatnagar.pdf Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Youth Advisory Committee Application First Name Aditi Last Name Bongu Street Address City Dublin 2 State California Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 12 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee because I strongly believe that having a voice to represent a group of individuals is crucial for both efficiency and success. As someone who is very attentive towards others and their ideas, I always seek to find ways of allowing these ideas to be expressed and implemented to their maximum potential. Additionally, as someone who always advocates for change, I believe that being a part of the Youth Advisory Committee allows for the opportunity to contribute to the possibility of improvement in different aspects of our Dublin Community. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? The skills I possess that would make me a strong candidate for the YAC are qualities such as leadership, dedication, and teamwork. As an individual who is passionate about dance, I have taught both children and adults choreography on many different occasions for many different competitions. This experience has taught me what it means to be responsible and take that extra step up as a leader in order to ensure success not just for these individuals, but for the team as a whole. To add on, I used to volunteer at a senior center called the Reutlinger Community. By being able to work with senior citizens one on one and in teams of other people, I’ve learned cooperation, and more importantly the significance of commitment and what it means to be compassionate and caring towards others. Overall, this experience has given me great joy and essentially taught me the value of giving back to the community. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? The issues that I’ve noticed many teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, revolve around not being involved within the community. Generally speaking (disregarding COVID-19), you find the current generation of students spending a lot of their time on social media, and not as much with people in person. 3 This is an issue because students are not able to form meaningful or genuine bonds with other peers or people their age. As a result of this, I believe that the youth community of Dublin has not necessarily had the opportunity to connect with one another on a deeper level. One way in which I believe that YAC could address these issues is by organizing more community events that allow for individuals to develop these meaningful relations, and have more opportunities to connect with others in real life. Additionally, Dublin is a very diverse community, and therefore holding cultural events for different holidays and people of different backgrounds may also encourage more people to come out and meet their fellow community members. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? The activities that I am both currently involved in and will be doing throughout the 2021-2022 school year are competitive dance, volunteering, and working my job. As of right now and for the past three years, I have been on Dublin Afsana (the competitive Bollywood dance team at Dublin High School), and I plan on trying out for the team next year as well. Additionally, I also plan on volunteering and have a job at the Dublin Kumon Center, where I work 6 hours a week on Fridays and Saturdays combined. I would still be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities since most of my activities occur only for a short amount of time on the weekend. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? Through continuous participation in clubs at school, as well as my constant volunteering throughout the community, I consider myself well connected to other teens in Dublin. This essentially makes the possibility of spreading the word of any events or activities to other teens much more easy and effective. Additionally, since many teens already are on social media, spreading information through different apps such as Instagram, Snapchat, or even Nextdoor Neighbor, is an effective way to inform teens of community events. Also, I am part of several large community group chats, and pasting a message on there and asking others to spread the word of events would also work. Lastly, simply posting flyers/posters across the entire Dublin Community would catch the eyes of individuals, and allow them to be aware of any event to come. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? Although I have not recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission/City Council meeting, I have attended a few of the school board meetings at school. Additionally, on November 7, 2017, I did a project with a few others in my grade level, in which we presented the idea of a local community garden right here in Dublin. Although we did not get approved to use a designated section of land to garden, that did not stop us from 4 trying to grow our own greens and try to help give back to the Dublin Community somehow. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). LetterOfRec.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Logan Last Name Lin Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? Senior 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? Being a part of YAC in the past year has been eye opening. Not only did I become a part of a special group of individuals and be able to learn from them, but I also established new friendships along the way, and most importantly I was able to help my city. My city, Dublin, California: doesn't get much better than that. As I grew older, and a little bit more mature, I realized my passion was to help people, sometimes at the end of the day just hearing a “thank you for your service”, or “great job, Logan” those few words make me realize I did something good, and knowing that my actions positively impacted my community, makes me know this is the job for me. I want to become a member again, because I want to help my community. Dublin has given me so many opportunities to discover myself and passions, whether that be through the school system, or even the sports leagues in Dublin. I think it is my job to give back to my community, obviously I have the choice to not help my community, but I know just one thing I 3 can do for this community can go a long way. That is what I believe YAC will allow me to do so. Help people, support people, encourage people, and inspire people. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I have 4 skills I feel allow me to qualify for YAC. Leadership, and management are key qualities of mine, I lead 4 teams at the moment. For the school newspaper I lead a team of 8 writers, made up of freshman to juniors at DHS. I lead a team of 13 musicians for my organization, Together With Music. I lead a team of 15 students for my organization, Youth Business Enterprise. I lead a team of 6, for my business education podcast. I show leadership not by directing these students, but by allowing them to discover the roles they thrive in, so we can better accomplish our goals as an entire group. A leader is someone who puts his best foot forward for the sake of helping others, rather than himself. I see myself as someone who wants to nurture others so they can be successful, and that’s leadership. Another skill I possess is dedication. This falls into the professionalism skill category. Having dedication is one of the key qualities of a leader. Dedication means being passionate for the task you are doing. I am dedicated to my work, because I know it is my responsibility to finish my work on time. I remember during the summer of 9th grade, when I was at a business program, I worked late nights trying to finish cash flows, and balance sheets for our startup company. I was dedicated to my work because I knew the rest of my team was relying on me, and I couldn’t let them down. Being a part of YAC means teamwork, we all have to be dedicated to our roles, so we can better be able to help others, who have the same passion as us which is business. The last quality I would say I possess is I am optimistic. I believe I have great time management. With managing AP classes, many extracurriculars, and prioritizing YAC I know what it takes to manage my time well, and do everything efficiently. In this past year I lead 5 teams, making up 50 people. Not only have I led these teams, but I was able to manage my time with each and every single one of these groups. It’s important to realize time management, because if you put too much time in one thing, and not in the other, you are ultimately failing at your job of leading, and being apart of a group. I think my skill of time management qualifies me as someone who can prioritize certain things, but also have equal distributions of time. By being someone who is good at managing time, I can better be able to effectively, and efficiently complete my work on time. And I put 110% into everything I do for YAC. In this past year I have managed volunteering at both the chalk walk, and imagine playground 4 grand opening, where I met our lovely new mayor Mrs. Hernandez. I am currently organizing our city benefit concert, while managing my sport, and other activities. I have gotten, and convinced most of the musicians who are participating in the event, and I know I can manage my time well. And I will help our community this year, if elected again. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? I think there are a lot of things teens are facing right now in Dublin. Because of Covid-19 many kids are now facing drug addictions, and mental issues which lead to death. I think this is the biggest issue, as of right now. I think another issue that Dublin teens face is bullying, and racial jokes that people find humorous. When I played baseball for an all caucasian team, I was beat up, and made fun of every practice, and after every game. Wondering if I was meant to be on this earth. As of now I am doing just fine, but I was forced to give up baseball due to the bullying. People find it funny to make fun of a person's race, to call them racial slurs, and just plain out bully someone. Do I blame the bully? No… because I do not know what is going on at home. I do not know if they are just having a bad day. But what I do know now is we have to change this. We can't let bullying continue in Dublin, from people loosely saying “ch*nk”, or the n word, making fun of people's eyes, or lips just because they are a different ethnicity than you. YAC is the voice of Dublin’s youth. What we can do is make people aware of the issues at hand. We need to run campaigns, campaigns that emphasize bullying is not okay. If possible, have kids talk about their experiences regarding bullying. By doing this the crowd of teens will not only become more aware, but they will start to empathize with the victims. Empathy can lead to a lot of things, it makes people stop the bullies from attacking more people. For the mental health problem, I think it would be nice to have a few hours with support dogs. I think another great idea would be to have group sessions with counselors at the civic center, where they can talk about their current emotions, and how they are feeling. Many mental health problems are due to parents not listening, or being alone. Rather than just saying you can call this number for help, because most teens will not dial that number. I think it is better to send out flyers, make the mental health sessions known to the public, so parents can take their teens. I think we could also create content on the Twitter page for the city of Dublin, such as ways to get help, ways to feel better, ways to think positive. Just these little tips can be helpful, or even a video from the mayor, saying “hey you got this, keep fighting and come visit us so we can help you”. It’s always nice to hear positive words like that. We need to combat bullying, and help teens feel safe. We need to help those who face mental health issues, and we must do it now. 5 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? I run two organizations called Youth Business Enterprise which focuses on educating students of all ages about financial literacy, and business. We have held webinars with distinguished college professors, and billionaire investors. The other organization I run is called Together With Music, where we bring talented musicians together to make music for all, and put a smile on seniors citizens, veterans, and communities in the Bay Area. I am the Business and Sports editor for The Dublin Shield, school newspaper, I write about 1-2 articles every month. I have a business podcast, and I take it very seriously as I have grown my podcast from 0 to 630 listeners in just a few months, and being able to make a positive impact on kids who are trying to learn about business; I feel like I have the responsibility to keep making content, so I can educate others about business, and hopefully inspire them to enter a career in business. I have talked to Billionaire investors Howard Marks, Leon Cooperman, Tim Draper, and The Dean at Cornell’s School of Business. Those are my commitments that would be competing with my time at YAC. I have been good with time management ever since I was in 8th grade, and I continue to stress the importance of managing time effectively, and that is what I will do if selected. I know I can devote my time, because I have done it in the past year as a YAC member. Working hard to organize our city benefit concert during COVID, and reaching out to people to get as performers. I have put my all into this organization, and I possibly may have been one of the most active in the YAC group. Being able to work with Mr. Siu, Mr. Stone, and Mrs. Amaya is a pleasure, and I wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity to work with them again, so we can help make Dublin a better place. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? I think there are a few good ways to get people more involved. I think having events that appeal to teens, such as fundraisers at popular destinations such as In-n out, or other restaurants like Chipotle, and Chick-fil-A. Now these restaurants are popular amongst many people, and by having fundraisers, teenagers will go get their food, and possibly see their friends, or even meet new people. As you meet new people, get to know them, and who they are you start to connect. As more people become aware of the city sponsoring these events, more people become engaged. We get them excited to attend events. Furthermore, music has this power to cure everyone’s problems there is no doubt about it. I think organizing a concert for teens would be appealing to them. When I say concert, I mean real bands that have performed before. We run food trucks, have local shops come out, and more. Similar to battle of the bands, but this would be more serious as they are trying 6 to compete for prize money. That is how you get people involved, city sponsored events that combine everything together from concerts, food trucks, games, etc. You draw a bigger crowd. I think if we have the money, we have to run social media ads. Because this is really important to grab people’s attention. Most teens nowadays are on social media: Twitter, Instagram, Google ads, Facebook, etc. We would have to make flyers that have content, which is attention grabbing. I am a good marketer, I have done a lot of things in the past that can prove I am good at marketing. Marketing is an essential skill to have when it comes to getting more people involved. Last year I organized a webinar with Billionaire Investor Tim Draper, where we had students ask him questions regarding the impact of the coronavirus on the US economy. We had over 200 participants, so I know how to get a crowd involved. I recently held a webinar with The Founder of The UC Berkeley Entrepreneurship Center, Jerome Engel, where he talked about entrepreneurship. We had 50 participants, this was a hard one to promote but ultimately it was a success. I am currently a social media marketing intern at a start-up company called The Market Games. I work on content, and help promote the brand name on various social media apps. I’ve increased our following by 20% after just 1 month of service. With good marketing skills, and interpersonal skills I can better communicate with people, and convince them to attend the city of Dublin events. So I would do a lot of promoting by myself, and try to organize a small marketing team to help get more teens involved with these events. Those are just some of my ideas. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? 3/24- YAC, benefit concert report, and organizing , annual report presentation to the city council 2/24- YAC, benefit concert, and recruitment process of new YAC 1/27- YAC, tri valley teen and job fair promoting, volunteer opportunities at st Patrick’s day celebration 1/12- city council, grant funding 12/9- YAC, approval of November special meeting, receive presentation for youth mini grant 11/18- YAC, what programs we offer, such as the youth mini grant, and what we hope to accomplish during Covid-19 10/18- YAC, the goals of YAC throughout the year 9/23- YAC, getting to know each other 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 7 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). 86DCD2CA-DD36-4674-9F9A-D1D7922467C0.jpeg Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) D864F29A-BC93-4899-A642-BB1DF0739CEF.jpeg Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Recommended Alternates 2 First Name Sofia Last Name Lembo Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 10 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I am interested in joining the Youth Advisory Committee for three reasons. First, I think that youth engagement is an essential part of an inclusive community. Sometimes the issues that are important to teens are forgotten or ignored, so the more that youth can interact with our local government, the better visibility we have in our community. Teens can also collaborate with one another to provide assistance as volunteers, and can help energize the community by organizing fun events that bring families and neighbors together. Second, I am really interested in getting to know other students that I would not normally interact with outside of sports. I think that by building relationships outside of my normal circle, I will gain a greater understanding and appreciation for the personal, social, and cultural differences that might otherwise separate people. 3 Finally, being a member of the YAC would give me a strong foundation for getting involved in local government as I get older. I have a good basic understanding of the way government operates and am passionate about learning more. Being on the YAC would give me the practical experience I am looking for that may lead me to my first job with a local city. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I am a very creative person who finds solutions that might not be obvious to others. I am also a good team player; throughout the many years I have played organized sports, I have learned that the best success comes when individuals collaborate in the interest of the group as a whole. Lastly, I am energetic and determined. I would be an active, contributing member of the YAC if selected. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? One issue facing teens is the lack of information and resources on mental health issues. Teens need their voices on this topic to be heard; and they need to know not only that mental health issues are nothing to be ashamed of, but that help is available when needed. The YAC could play an important role in helping with this issue, as it could organize informational events or forums for teens to share stories, get information, and find support with each other. Also, teens have become too dependent on social media and communicating on mobile devices, which can lead to them being disconnected from reality, or prevent them from getting out of their homes, meeting and interacting with new people, and getting involved in the community. The YAC and its activities can be a good forum to generate interest in community activities by promoting events, providing the chance for members to be advocates to friends and neighbors, and modelling volunteerism at City events. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? I currently play soccer with Dublin United Soccer and basketball with a local AAU club. In the 2021/22 school year, I will continue my club sports, and I plan to play at least one high school sport (soccer or basketball), participate in the Drama Club, and audition for theater and musical performances at Dublin High School. However, membership on the YAC is very important to me and I would treat it as a top priority. I would endeavor to attend all meetings and would participate in as many community events as I can manage. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? I have a diverse group of peers from the connections to sports, drama/theater, and school, so I would start by promoting community events to those groups. I would focus on social media outlets, including creating groups for specific topics or events, or posting creative, informational videos. In the past, it 4 seems that teen involvement has not been diverse enough, which may be a result of not using all available social media platforms, or not having enough connections to certain groups of students. I would be happy to work on this issue through the YAC. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I occasionally watch portions of public meetings, or read the information in the agenda, when there is an item of interest or a person I know is presenting information. I watched the Utility Art Box program item that was presented to the City Council on June 2, 2020 to take a look at the designs, because I really like seeing those pieces of art throughout the community. I also listened to the City Council Special Meeting on March 17, 2020 when the City declared a state of Local Emergency because of the coronavirus. I felt that was an important moment in our community because it made the pandemic real for me and my peers. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). sofia lembo letter of rec.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Aarav Last Name Surapaneni Street Address City Dublin State California Zip Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Valley Christian High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 11th 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I want to be a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee, because it allows a teen to me to get the opportunity to connect with other teens in Dublin, and the city itself on a more formal, and personalized level. In addition, I can still learn and connect with Dublin more in the process open to thoughts of others around the city. Having this experience of leadership, team working, and problem solving, is a great way to learn and implement, especially if it is for your City, and other kids/teens around you. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I am a great team worker. Not only, do I love working and collaborating with others, but it is something that I am good at doing. This is important, because in meetings, or otherwise team working is going to be a very key part of our work and it is really important that this is present, because it makes solving problems, or discussing issues extremely easy and efficient. I also am very open minded. I love to have a broader view on Youth Advisory Committee Application 3 things that people say or which is put in front of me. This is an important skill to possess as coming in with an open mind allows you to accept other people's thoughts and ideas, taking more time to understand it better. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? One of the main issues that a lot of teens are dealing with is stress. Whether it is derived from academics, to friendships/relationships, or elsewhere, it is a key presence in these teen's lives. This main problem can lead into more sub- problems, such as depression, anxiety, etc. Especially during this pandemic, it is really easy for teens to be trapped within themselves and not able to open up on having something to get them out of these dilemmas they deal with. YAC has a great foundation to be able to have diversions and get-aways from these issues. For example, hosting outside activities, or events where teens can meet other friends, or make new ones while having fun, or doing something new. Obviously, there would be COVID protocols involved, however there are endless possibilities to make these events happen while staying safe. Also social media is a great way to spread positive messages and host online seminars that can help discuss these problems in a positive way. Most if not all teens have access to social media, and using YAC's platform to help establish positive messages and inform them on how to stay positive during these times is extremely feasible and efficient. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? Currently, I am participating in two clubs, which are the Investing Club and the Robotics Club in my school. In addition, my school's basketball season is starting up currently, and will begin officially in April. In the 2021-2022 school year I am expecting to participate in these same activities, as well as participate in one or two Internships. However, that being said, I will have more than enough time for YAC and participate in the meetings and activities. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? Social media is definitely a main roll in terms of connecting, or sending messages to teens. Informing these teens about these events and sponsored activities in an engaging fashion through online platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, or otherwise is a great way to inform teens about these events. In addition, it is easy for teens to share these events and activities with friends, to spread the message even further. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome No. 4 of the item(s) you were interested in? 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Letter of Rec Aarav (Youth Advisory Committee).pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Anika Last Name Kolan Street Address City Dublin State California Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 10 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? Being a Dublin resident for 10 years now, I have grown to love this city and I’m proud to call it my hometown. Dublin’s core values and its peaceful environment make it a perfect city for people to partake in various activities. I realize that for anyone to enjoy that someone has to create, organize and prioritize it. My top priority as a member of the YAC would be to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard and that actions will be taken to move that voice forward. As someone who loves to volunteer and help out the community, this role is perfect for me. My commitment shows through the 200+ service hours I have already completed. I am dedicated to advocating for people who are passionate to build a better Dublin. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? Having participated in sports and been selected in an elite team, I can emphatically say that my leadership and teamwork skills are somethings I have grown to hone in on. Some of my strengths are my versatility, trustworthiness, and 3 communication skills. As strong as I am in my communication skills, I am equally as strong in my listening ability. I realize that no voice is too insignificant and everyone has something to contribute. These skills will help me further contribute as a member of the YAC. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? I am aware of the mental health issues that many teens face. I have witnessed an immense amount of academic-related stress in both myself, and in my friends. Although there are counselors ready and available for students, it is hard for teenagers to connect and express their feelings with adults. To address this issue, I would suggest that older teens or teens who have overcome similar issues create a support group that younger teens can reach out to for support. When people are feeling depressed, all they need is someone to talk to. With assigned leaders leaning towards the teenager-aged side, students would be able to feel freer with what they speak about, allowing more students to vent out their problems. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? I am currently partaking in playing for the USA Cricket Team, and I have had the honor to be selected to represent the country for the year of 2021-2022. I choose to be on top of my studies and have my academics play a big role in my life. I am involved with clubs in Dublin High School, as well as keeping my enrollment in the Biomedical Academy. With a carefully planned calendar, prioritizing my time, and focussed self- regulation, I will be able to partake in YAC meetings and activities. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? To get teens involved in the community, I believe that it would be best to start by reaching out to them first. Speaking from my own personal experience, and similar events which have occurred with my peers, it is difficult to know when and where a volunteer event is. The first step is to inform teens, to then get them to volunteer. Emails could be sent out to teens and their schools to raise awareness of the details regarding an event. Giving them enough advance notice will help them plan their calendars. Also, giving them some tours to show what the activity entails will help alleviate any anxiety and familiarize them. On the other hand, there are teens who don’t want to step out of their comfort zone to try a new activity. A solution to that would be to take some time during school to get a group of teens out to a location to start their volunteer work. Not only would they be counting their time to their volunteer hours list, but they will start to have an idea of the fun volunteering holds, and how great they feel once they give back to their community. 4 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? No. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Anika.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Remaining YAC applications 2 First Name Eric Last Name Xiao Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 9 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I want to become a member of YAC because I care about our community, and I want to get involved in the city’s activities to help make our city a better place. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? Since I am currently in eighth grade, I have a good grasp on a student’s daily life at middle school, and what matters to them, and I will soon be attending Dublin High School as a freshman, so I will also be able to understand what it is like to be a high schooler. I also have good communication skills. I am currently a member of a few clubs, and have participated in multiple city sponsored recreational events, such as the Junior Warriors basketball league and the Green Gators swim team. In my spare time, I have also done a lot of volunteer work around the tri-valley, such as Kids Against Hunger, Fertile Groundworks, and Medshare. 3 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? Right now, what I think the largest issue teens not only in Dublin, but also in many other places are currently dealing with is that teens currently don’t have much social interactions, as many people have been stuck at home for a very long time, and can only meet their peers through Zoom and social media. But since by next school year, we will probably have in person learning again, the problem will be resolved soon. Another problem that teens have right now that won’t be resolved as easily is that teens have too much screen time, which is harmful for our eyes. YAC can address this issue by having optometrists come and do presentations in middle and high school, teaching teens on how to protect their eyes and not put too much strain on them, or the optometrists could record a short video with tips on how to relax our eyes after staring at screens for a long time. Even though our community is very diverse, teens with similar backgrounds like to hang out together, so something the city could do about it is to hold some events aiming at having teens from different races and backgrounds interacting with each other. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? I am currently in the Fallon Chess Club, the MATHCOUNTS club, and the Jazz Band, and the extracurricular activities I am have are drawing, coding, debate, and piano. I’m also a member of a non-profit volunteering organization. Next year, I plan to join some high school clubs. I don’t foresee any scheduling conflicts, and I will be able to set aside some time to participate in YAC activities. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? I would encourage my friends and classmates to become more involved in the events and activities, and inform them on the different events out there and the benefits in participating in them. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I have not recently attended a city meeting recently, but I have looked through some information on the Dublin website concerning the meetings, such as the minutes and agenda. I have also watched a video recording of a Dublin City Council meeting, which was held on 3/2/21, and what I was most interested in was the number of people during the Public Comment who spoke out against the noise caused by the Livermore Airport. The airport has large planes taking off and landing quite often, so the noise is an unavoidable consequence, but it also brings economic benefits, and is convenient for transportation. 4 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Recommendation Letter for Eric Xiao.docx Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Adi Last Name Jain Street Address City Dublin State California Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Fallon Middle School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 8 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? Living in the beautiful and vibrant city of Dublin for the past seven years, I have experienced everything our city has to offer, from the St. Patrick’s Day Parade to the Dublin farmer’s market. Our city has a plethora of fun events and places for people of all ages to enjoy, which is everything I missed during the grueling pandemic. I want to join the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee to help bring both fun and energy back to our city. I plan to help all residents of Dublin enjoy Dublin to the fullest while specifically helping youth find ways to contribute to our local community. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many extracurriculars were shut down for many students which greatly affected the youth of Dublin. Many youths are isolated and away from their friends which can take a toll on a youth’s mental health. Ensuring good mental health is very important as bad mental health could cause problems later in a student’s life. I strongly believe that 3 through the YAC, I could use resources to help my peers improve their mental health through youth and teen online meetups to talk to each other. I plan to conduct youth and teen meetups, both virtually and in person, in a safe and secure area where they can talk to each other. As many Dublin schools plan to reopen in the 2021-2022 school year, following the Covid-19 guidelines will be crucial for schools to reopen safely. I plan to map out how to make sure all students follow the Covid-19 precautions and I aim to factor in input from our amazing teachers, the diligent faculty members, and from the students to make sure everyone follows the Covid-19 guidelines. By using input from everyone on how to reopen schools safely, our schools will be significantly safer for everyone. Also, the pandemic prevented many students, including me from volunteering in Dublin. I plan to help students find volunteering opportunities in our city itself, like volunteering in the St.Patrick's Parade, which I did this year. Allowing students to volunteer allows our city to be more unified as a whole and it is a vital extracurricular for many students. I plan to find safe volunteering opportunities for students with other YAC/city council members and bring a new, fresh perspective into more volunteering projects in Dublin. In all, being in the YAC will allow me to contribute to our unique city, bring a new, fresh perspective into our city’s initiatives, and build good relationships with people I have not interacted with before. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I love finding inventive and unique solutions to the vast set of problems around us. Whether it’s a complex math problem or perplexing science experiments or a problem I see daily, I enjoy solving the toughest of problems. Last summer, I noticed that my parents and many people I knew were going into stores without knowing if the stores were following the Covid-19 guidelines, such as using plexiglass dividers at checkout, having 6-feet markers, and more. Using my problem-solving mindset, I designed and developed ConTrac, the first-ever app that allows people to see if a store is following the Covid-19 guidelines, based on crowdsourced data and reduces the spread of Covid-19. To add on, I am community-oriented. For the past seven years that I’ve been in Dublin, the city has given me awesome schools, amazing sports fields, huge parks, and fun events throughout the year. However, the pandemic has caused many 4 people to lose their jobs and many families can’t afford to buy food. Seeing this, I decided it was time I should do something to help. I organized and led a food drive along with my friend. After four days of giving out flyers and collecting food, I was able to donate over 182 pounds to a local food shelter (John Knox Church). This experience taught me the importance of being aware of my community’s needs and finding ways to help people when they need it the most, especially during the pandemic. Lastly, I am great at taking initiative and getting work done as a team. During the summer, I led a hackathon with three of my close friends. When we first started working together, I noticed that my team was not working together effectively. To combat this, I assigned roles to each of my teammates, gave dates when work should be done, helped them work together, and most importantly, I made sure they all had fun. Due to this, my team was able to submit fully functional prototypes of apps to various hackathons and we won four times! With all these skills, I strongly believe I can contribute to the YAC in unique ways and make various contributions to our community. I am a quick learner and if there are other skills needed to be successful at the YAC, I’m sure I can learn those as well. 3.What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? I believe that online schools didn’t allow pre-teens/teens to socialize as much as in-person school, and the amount of screen time spent on computers and other devices is increasing a lot. The YAC could address this by hosting safe but small fun in-person events (that follow Covid-19 rules) where teens can just talk to each other. By doing this, many teens get to meet new people, make new friends, and start socializing, which will slowly but steadily improve mental health. For the next school year, the transition back to school has to be smooth and I believe that the YAC could run a campaign with a fun game to encourage students to follow the Covid-19 rules. The game should have a way for students to gather points for maintaining social distancing, wearing masks, etc which they could use for a homework pass or other benefits. As a result of doing this, our schools will be much safer and students and faculty will be significantly more comfortable being in school. Another topic that I have noticed causing stress in many teens is the accelerated pathways for Math. I have experienced the pressure myself and have seen many teens feeling pressured 5 to take it, even if they are not ready for it or want to try other extracurriculars. The YAC could run interviews and surveys to collect teen views and opinions independently about the accelerated pathways program, share their observations with education leaders in Dublin and encourage a more holistic approach to education. Reducing unnecessary peer pressure will help students explore other options and be who they are. The Covid-19 pandemic prevented many students from volunteering and the YAC could help students find more volunteering activities in our city itself. Finding opportunities for students to volunteer will help our community thrive in both good and bad times. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? Hackathons - I love coding and I participated in 5 hackathons last year. For the next school year, I plan to compete in 6-7 hackathons during summer and a few more throughout the year. Competing in hackathons allows me to find solutions to the problems in the form of code. Every time I participate in a hackathon, I pick up a new skill, get exposed to problems that people face around the world and how they are applying technology to solve them. I expect to need 10-15 hours every 2-3 months. Food Drives & Science Kits Fundraiser - Just like last year, I plan to organize food drives for Thanksgiving in my community and get more teens in my community to volunteer. I also plan to conduct a fundraiser to build and distribute science kits for students from underrepresented groups. Since Covid-19 began, many students were not able to volunteer and I plan to offer volunteering opportunities to Dublin students through these activities. I also plan to scale the food drives and science kit fundraiser to cities beyond my community when more volunteers join. This will take up to 10 hours per month. Basketball- Basketball is a sport I have enjoyed since second grade. The competitiveness of the game and team spirit is what make it fun for me. All my practice sessions and games were canceled during the pandemic but I plan to restart from this summer and also try out for my school team. I expect this to take 16 hours a month and I hope I can represent my school and the City of Dublin at various tournaments. Mock trial - Argumentative speech has always piqued my interest and for the past three months, I am enrolled in an academy that teaches mock trial - a simulation of what would happen in a court trial. This appealed to me as it emphasizes public speaking, critical thinking, and the art of forming a 6 persuasive, cohesive argument. From mock trial, I have learned how to speak confidently by using a persuasive voice to get more people to agree on a certain topic. I will need to devote four hours a month to mock trial. Leadership committee- For the coming school year, I have applied to be on the leadership committee in Fallon Middle School. I have watched students on this committee organizing events and building an environment where students see their school as a second home. I am eager to become part of this leadership committee, help organize fund risers, events for improving mental health, and amplify our school spirit. If I am selected, I expect to dedicate 16 hours a month to this committee, but this time will be spent during school hours (through a 0-period class). Alongside all of the activities listed above, I am confident that I will be able to devote the time needed to attend all of the YAC meetings, as well as volunteer at various city-wide events and gatherings. Seeing the pandemic sweep our nation has shown me how important volunteerism is, so I will definitely get involved with as many volunteer opportunities as I can. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? Although many teens like to volunteer for events in their community and city-sponsored activities, they are unaware of volunteering opportunities available. In addition to promoting these events through school rallies and newsletters, there should be a teen-friendly city website that advertises such opportunities. Many teens that I know of are good at coding and designing websites. I would get them involved in developing a teen-friendly website, testing it, and host a forum on the website where teens can discuss community issues. This year I volunteered for the Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations and noticed that not many teens showed up. Although this could be because of the pandemic, I think teens are getting more isolated and are missing out on connecting with new people. For next year, I plan to get more teens involved in city events by getting them to submit ideas for hosting fun activities, give them leadership positions to organize the activities, and offer some type of recognition, like a shout-out at school events for their support. Two years ago, I applied to the youth mini-grant program in Dublin to work on a project I’ve always wanted to do - build a board game for every school in Dublin that teaches about our city’s history and culture. While I was applying, I noticed that not many teens knew about this program, and also the city had 7 limited funds to sponsor. Although I could not proceed on my mini-grant project due to all schools going online, I had a lot of fun working on it. I would encourage more teens to participate in the mini-grant program by pitching it as an opportunity to get the City Council’s attention and actual funding to work on ideas that improve our community. I plan to orchestrate fundraisers in Dublin to not only increase the number of funds, but also increase awareness about the youth mini-grant program. By doing this, I will get more teens to apply to the youth mini-grant program and more funds to be distributed among projects. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I try to attend as many YAC meetings as I can! The most recent one I attended was on March 24, 2021. One of the agenda items for this meeting was about how the Youth Benefit Concert is coming up, so the committee discussed how they received about 4 applications involving 12 different students who are doing various singing and dancing routines. Logan Lin, a YAC member and Dublin Benefit Concert subcommittee member, talked about how he connected with the rest of the subcommittee members to discuss how they should plan the concert. They currently mentioned that they had about 30 minutes of content, but because the application doesn’t close until Friday, I’m interested in submitting a performance proposal myself so that I can also be a part of the concert! Another item discussed was the Youth Advisory Committee’s End-of-Year Report. Because this hasn’t been a traditional year and the YAC hasn’t been able to be involved in as many city events as in past years, the committee decided to highlight the grantees from the Youth Mini-Grant. The committee voted to invite the grantees back to a meeting to get updates on how the funds have been used, and this information will be included in the End-of-Year Report to show how, despite the unusual circumstances, the YAC has still able to support and uplift the youth of Dublin. Apart from the YAC meetings, I occasionally attend City Council meetings and Dublin Unified School District Board meetings. As a student who is eager to return to school in an in-person setting, I attend these meetings to stay updated on when the hybrid schooling system will begin and what the various safety precautions will look like. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. 8 Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Student Recommendation A.J. 2021.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Adi J. recommendation letter.pdf Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Akul Last Name Gowda Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 12 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee so I can partake with providing programs for the youth of Dublin with events that will be interesting to them. I want to be able to help the youth in any way, shape, or form and be the voice for them. I have lived in Dublin for my whole life hence, I want to make the community better. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I am easy to talk to and I love to help out whenever I can. This allows me to make connections with teenagers in our community which helps me become the voice of many teens. My ability to balance school activities, sports, clubs, and volunteering reflects my wonderful organization skills. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? One of the biggest issues the youth usually struggles with has always been stress, but this year has made mental health a bigger issue. For this reason the YAC should focus on offering 3 more activities centered around this issue. We can offer a mentoring program or a support group. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? During the 2021-2022 school year, I will be involved with cross country and track and field for the Dublin High School team. I also volunteer at the local Alameda County Community Food Bank. I will be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? Through the activities that I have participated in my community, I am able to talk to more teens. This will allow me to spread the word to my peers about activities and events that the YAC is providing. I could also post about it on my social media and hand out flyers regarding the offered activities. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? As a Youth Advisory committee member for the 2020-2021 term and an alternate member for the 2019-2020 term, I have attended the committee meetings. I have also volunteered at many of the act ivies and programs the YAC has offered. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Stephen Wan- Director of Op- GEP LOR.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Mrs. Morgan LOR for Akul Gowda.pdf Application materials must be submitted via this online applicati on form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Youth Advisory Committee Application First Name Allen Last Name Perry Street Address City Dublin State California 2 Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Wells Middle School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 6th grade. 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I would like to be a part of the Youth Advisory Committee to be a part of our community, and to help in part to give teens a voice. I want to help the teens of Dublin and maybe someday even farther to get their voices and problems heard, and providing great opportunities. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I can provide honest feedback and ideas if needed, and I care about all sides of the situation. I keep an open mind to new solutions and I am open to change. I like to set reasonable goals for the future so that I can eventually be the best that I can be. I'm a hard worker averaging a 4.0 GPA and have a reading level of post high school. I am a positive thinker and would love to be a part of this group. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? Two prominent issues among teens are peer pressure, and bullying. I propose that we hold a zoom meeting every wednesday for people in situations like those as a sort of support group where everyone can share their situations. Adults running it can give advice of what to do in bullying or peer pressure situations similar to the D.A.R.E format. Another common issue among teens is low self esteem. Maybe we could make 30 minute classes where the students learn how to have a more positive mindset, maybe motivational speakers could come on the meeting sometimes to give a speech. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? I am currently not involved in any activities, and have no plans to enroll in any aside from this one. I will be able to devote my time each month for YAC meetings and activities. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, I could tell people by word of mouth, put up fliers in businesses throughout the city of Dublin, fliers to homes, emails through the city of Dublin and School Districts. 3 and City-sponsored activities? 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I have not attended a YAC meeting, or a Dublin Commission or City Council meeting. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). letter of recc.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Archit Last Name Kumar Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 12th (senior) 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I would be incredibly excited to serve as a member of the Youth Advisory Committee because it would be an opportunity for me to create a more supportive and empowering environment for the youth of Dublin. Having called Dublin my home for the past 7 years, I understand that the city is a place full of potential, much of which has not been fully explored yet. My goal in serving as a member of the YAC is to develop innovative solutions and resources so that Dublin’s youth can find new ways to express itself. I understand that our city has big plans for improvement in the near future, and I would like to make sure that these goals can come into fruition. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? As a proud Dubliner for the past 7 years, I bring many years of knowledge and experience that can be put to good use in the improvement of our community. Throughout these years, I have observed many aspects of our city and have been able to determine which of these aspects can be improved in the 3 future. In addition, I bring a great deal of leadership experience from my numerous leadership positions within Dublin High School. I am currently serving as a mentor in the school’s Freshman Mentoring Program, through which I help create a more supportive school environment for incoming freshmen. I also serve on the executive board of this program, through which I am directly involved in the development of activities and resources that other mentors utilize while serving in this program. Furthermore, I bring a mature work ethic from my service as a math tutor in the local branch of the Russian School of Mathematics. This experience provides me with the skills and maturity to thrive in a professional setting, such as the one present in the YAC. My other strengths relate to my creativity and my self- motivation. In my free time, I have been able to launch high- level projects, including my own website and computer game. Being able to individually plan, execute, and launch such large- scale projects proves that I have the motivation and problem- solving skills necessary to make major contributions to our great city. Lastly, I would like to mention that I am a very lighthearted person who can work well in a team. I am very honest and diligent in any activity I pursue, and I can guarantee that such dedication will be reflected in my involvement in the YAC. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? Throughout my 7 years as a Dublin resident, my peers and I have been exposed to numerous challenges and difficulties that can be addressed through new resources and programs. Firstly, I feel that there is a lack of exciting teen entertainment within the city. Other cities, such as San Jose, have designated teen activity centers filled with amazing resources such as makerspaces, pool tables, gamer lounges, recording studios, collaborative workspaces, 3d printers, and much more. However, here in Dublin, the only way us teens can hang out is by visiting parks or stores, where we can sometimes be identified as hoodlums or as troublemakers. In the age of COVID, implementing a teen activity hub within our city could be challenging, but it would be a worthwhile effort to make this city feel more like home. 4 On the topic of COVID, I believe that, along with improved in- person resources, Dublin youth deserves improved online resources. It is quite difficult for teens and tweens to discover new and exciting things to do within their city, which is where I believe that a designated teen website would be a great solution. Such a website would be designed with teens in mind, and would showcase new events, competitions, and resources for teens to take advantage of. These are just a few of the solutions that the YAC could address in order to make our city a far more exciting and rewarding place for our youth. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? Next year, I will be involved in rigorous academic coursework, as well as in the college applications process. I understand that managing these activities alongside my participation in the YAC can be a challenge, which is why I have made a serious commitment to improving my time management skills. Throughout the past year, I have significantly reduced the amount of time I waste on unproductive activities, which has given me the ability to succeed in both my academic coursework and in my extracurricular activities. As such, I will be ready to devote time each month to YAC meetings and activities. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, I will work to ensure that teens can have proper access to community news in a readily-accessible online environment. As I mentioned previously, one of my goals as a member of the YAC is to develop a designated teen website which teens and tweens in the city can utilize to explore the latest activities and events within our community. Such a website would play a great role in helping unite Dublin youth and create a more uplifting environment for everyone. In addition, I believe I can use my personal influence to help get more people engaged within city activities. As a member of the YAC, I can help introduce my friends, many of whom are not highly involved in community activities, to the latest happenings within the city. This will expand teen participation within the city and make life here much more enjoyable for all of us. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date I watched the video recaps and read the summaries of several past Planning Commission meetings. One particularly interesting meeting was the meeting on October 13, 2021, in which a new vision for downtown Dublin was proposed. The plan emphasized creating a more recognizable downtown 5 and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? environment for the city, featuring public art, walkable streets, and more. The plan was to be executed in a tier-based manner, ultimately resulting in an exciting downtown environment for Dublin residents to enjoy and thrive in. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Archit Kumar LOR.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Arhan Last Name Surapaneni Street Address City Dublin State California Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Stanford OHS What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 11th 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? Growing up in America as an Indian-American was difficult to say the least, I spent much of my childhood embarrassed of things like the color of my skin, or the smell of my foreign food at the lunch table, all due to the strange feeling that I wasn't fitting in. My parents moved to America in the 1990’s to pursue prosperity and a certain future specific to America at the time, and being-born in America I was able to experience these privileges rather than face turmoil and corruption in my home country of India, specifically Hyderabad. From such a foreign background, it was hard to become accustomed to America, its ideals, and social settings. Due to these apprehensions in a sense, it's been a mission of mine to always help others, so that others don't have to experience these same fears. I was able to make vital connections with people moving into schooling first at Kolb Elementary, and into John Green, and Finally at Fallon Middle School. These life-long friends I have been able to make really motivated me to want to help and give 3 my unique inputs so that others like me continue to be immersed in this amazing group of people that we have in Dublin. Of course with COVID-19 going on currently it is very important to stay safe, but I think with my experiences, I can help the youth of our communities get immersed in both Dublin, as well as their friends from highschool, because those interactions truly improve quality of life overall, establishing roots which will stay present for the rest of their lives. I currently attend an Online School, and though this school is not based in Dublin itself, with COVID every one has had to move into online school setting, and I already have experiences with this, as well as what I have learned about communicating with friends virtually. These experiences and my past experiences, all allow as a culmination of what I could add to the YAC, to help highschool students like myself, while creating a safer, and more enjoyable environment for Dublin as a whole. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I currently lead 5 clubs at my school, these being the Marvel Club, Neuroscience Club, STEAMS Club, International Biology Olympiad, and the Medicine Club, and these unique Clubs all require a certain level of leadership, and the ability to understand what people need, while finding the best solution to any problem. I think this unique sense of leadership would make me a vital candidate on the YAC. On top of this I have participated in Debate for around 3 years now, and every debate, and every conversation I have been able to not only learn how to eloquently express my self, in front of hundreds of different people, but Ive also been able to educate myself on various problems, while developing my own opinions. This developed mindset, and opinions along with the ability to learn about various problems is vital for YAC, because among any problems ranging from youth engagement, to smaller things like fun game-nights, I will be able to adapt easily to the highest level. Finally I think i have the compassion that it takes to truly share experiences. I have volunteered almost 100 hours with Dublin LEAD, over the summer with helping children 6 hours a day, and moderating a summer camp. Ive learned so much about little children all from different backgrounds, and though they can be a hard time sometime, patience and the ability to listen have also come with this experience which I think can truly be applied to the highest extent in the YAC. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? I think right now, especially with COVID youth engagement, and the way that social action and activities in correspondence with COVID have truly been halted. COVID-19 though horrific, it is important for us as neighbors and family to be able to adapt. Especially with the transition into Online school, me and 4 other students have truly felt disconnected from this city, even though there is still so much to love about it. This sense of community which was so strong just a few months ago, has almost dissipated. I think with so much going on in the world somethings that we could do would be to hold youth, and adult engagement meetings, whether it be for the purpose of social justice, such as movements regarding BLM, and LGBTQ+ or even just game nights, and meeting up with friends. Also I think it is important to show other highschoolers, how their city truly runs. Especially with the digital era, it has never been so easy, anything can be shared on social media, and with a built up following so much information being shared students and other highschoolers will truly notice and fall in-love with the transparency that Dublin is able to provide. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? Currently as a highschoolers, though I am trying to learn about future career prospects participation in Internships is vital, however these are not as time consuming, and can definitely be managed. I know that I will definitely be able to dedicate the time necessary to all the monthly meetings. My Clubs only take part on Fridays, and my sports over the weekends. My High School, being fully online, also has the adaptation of timings that I wish them to occur, so that means that I can make adjustments to my schedule as I please for the YAC meetings, and make sure that I contribute as much as I can for the YAC, and this city by extension. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? I think the most apparent answer would be social media. Teenagers in all schools throughout the DUSD school district follow all the trends, whether that would be things like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or more recently TikTok. Making a YAC account on any of these platforms, and creating small events on Zoom, or even safely socially distanced in real life, would be so easy to spread. On top of this, it is on a platform that all these students already use, fully free of cost. Another option is to work out events in partnership with the DUSD School district. Teenagers all attend highschool, and with college applications over the horizon, this same highschool is a lot of the main attention, I think working out partnerships with announcements in the DUSD School district, or even possibly clubs, and electives, which nurture community engagement, could really get students not only to gain experience they need for the future, but also the ability to engage with the community in fun events, to develop the sense of community which is so unique to Dublin. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City No 5 Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Arhan Youth Board Rec Letter.docx Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Divyansh Last Name Agrawal Street Address City Dublin State California Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Fallon Middle School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 8th grade 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I want to be part of the Youth Advisory Committee to raise awareness to my fellow peers to always be a help in our marvelous community. I also want to be part of the YAC because I think that I am very helping and generous. I love to help with activities around the city. I am a current member of the YAC and I volunteered at events such as the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. Also, I have talked with my peers and I know changes that they would like to see in the community. I shared what events the Yac was going to assist in and I encouraged my peers to visit those events. I can also help to create volunteering events that my peers would like to participate in. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I possess strong leadership and diligence. Every time I do a group project, I always bring my leadership skills to the project. If I have a goal, I won’t stop trying till I reach it. I love working with others to make sure everyone can take part in the project. 3 I also have done a lot of community service. I love helping out in the community because it gives a chance for people to grow. For example, I raised $60 dollars for the East Bay SPCA by selling popcorn on superbowl day in 2018. I am a good listener and I can come up with creative ideas such as in the YAC we had to give a grant to a certain amount of groups and I came up with an idea to disperse the money and everyone agreed. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? I believe stress is a big issue that Dublin teens are dealing with. I have a brother who is in his first year of college. I have talked to him and some of his friends and they think that it is a big problem too. YAC can help this by supporting initiatives like stress awareness or stress relieving programs. This way we can make sure that the students in children stay healthy and safe. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? Some activities that I am involved in now or will be in the 2021- 2022 school year are dancing and basketball if the leagues open. I play basketball in various competitive leagues that are local and in the tri-valley. I have learned sportsmanship and teamwork from basketball. I have been dancing for the last 7 years. I will be able to devote as much time as needed for YAC meetings and activities because I am very passionate about it. As a current member of the YAC, I have been able to attend all the meetings comfortably. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? I would get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and city-sponsored activities by making colorful and attractive flyers and posters. I have been doing art for the last 9 years so I can use my creativity skills to create advertisements. Also, I was in student council for 2 years so I know how to make posters and I love it! Since I am not old enough, older YAC students can create social media accounts also. We can use these to advertise to students who use social media daily. I am part of the news club in Fallon Middle School, which I can use to engage my peers in the community. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? As a current member of the YAC, I have attended all of the meetings, but the specific one I want to talk about was on November 13, 2020. During that meeting we reviewed mini grant applications. I was glad to see so many different groups doing many different activities. We were able to help 6 of those groups with their proposals. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 4 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Divyansh letter of rec.docx Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Ekam Last Name Dhot Street Address City Dublin State california Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Fallon Midlle School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 8th grade 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? My idols in life are two great historical figures of our country- John F Kennedy(JFK) and Martin Luther King(MLK) whom I would like to quote as below : MLK - “Democracy transformed from thin paper to thick action is the greatest form of government on earth.” JFK - “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”These quotes have inspired a key goal of my teenage years which is to be an active participant and make a meaningful contribution to my community.I have been working on several community initiatives and becoming a member of YAC would provide the ideal platform to take this to the next level. Last year , I was part of the Fallon Interact club which does volunteer work for the community like doing fundraisers , helping local businesse . This year I joined CJSF which does volunteer work for the community. 3 YAC could take helping the community to a whole new level and impact many more people , which is something that I have always wanted to do for the Dublin Community. Also, I believe during a crisis time like Covid a lot of our community members like small businesses & elders have been severely impacted. And a forum like YAC can really provide help to these community members and create a lasting impact. I also really want to help some of the teens in DUblin as I am aware of the problems that they are currently facing. Lastly, my sister has been a part of YAC and attended their meetings. Seeing her and rest of the YAC members in action has really enhanced my desire to be part of YAC. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I have been part of multiple Dublin community projects and I think that I can do these YAC activities well because of some of my previous experience. Last year, I was part of the Fallon Interact Club , which helps local businesses and does volunteer work for the community. I am also part of CJSF and have participated in all of their fundraisers this past semester. I will use my past experience in volunteer work to help coordinate events for YAC like the Youth Benefit Concert. My experience in the FMS competitive speech and debate team has helped me become a strong oral communicator who knows how to get ideas across. These skills would be helpful in multiple YAC projects like the Youth Mini Grant program which requires strong oral communication skills to determine what is best for the youth community. I also believe that I can be a great help as to collaborating what activities children and teens may want. I am part of multiple online clubs like YCW (Youth Coding Workshops) , which is a huge part of the Dublin Middle School Community. This gives me an insight and direct communication with over 300 - 400 different people as well as my friends. I think that I can communicate with a lot of different people in my school and other schools to see what children and teens in Dublin may want to do. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? One main problem that I think Dublin teens are facing is the nto meeting their friends in person. One thing that I think YAC can do to address these issues is organize a school wide multiple meetings , where people can go into breakout rooms with random people or people that they want to talk to so that they can not only meet their friends , but other people from their school and have some contact with them. Another connected problem I think that children and teens in Dublin are facing is the fact is not going outside too much. People are too scared of getting Covid and are not going outside and getting enough 4 fresh air. Something that I think YAC can do to help this problem is to implicate more sanitization in these parks. By working with the senior Parks and Commission Services group we can ensure that Dublin Teens have the opportunity to go outside and feel safe about where they are. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? Some other activities that I will be involved in is the Fallon Chess Club , which I have to devote an hour and a half every Thursday for class. I will be having coding class every Monday for an hour as well. Throughout the year I will continue to volunteer my time to the Dublin Community because YAC would be my first priority. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? I would get other teens involved in the community by advertising in some of the communities I am part of. I can advertise on CJSF and get people to sign up from there . I am also part of the Fallon Chess Club , both of these clubs have about 100 people in them. I can advertise in both of them. Lastly , I can put flyers around my school for these events. I can also tell my friends to tell some of their other friends about these events. This way , I think I can get the message out to a lot of different people and get some more teens involved in these city sponsored events. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? no 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Ekam Dhot.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Ekam Dhot Letter of Recommendation.pdf Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. 1 Youth Advisory Committee Application First Name Hollis Last Name Carey Street Address 2 City Dublin State California Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? The Athenian School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 12th Grade 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I would love to have the privilege of being a member on the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee to be able to learn about local government, inflict positive change on Dublin, and most importantly, have the opportunity to take initiative and have input on various projects and endeavors. There are very few programs that allow students to truly have a voice in local government and the decisions that affect Dublin youth, which really makes the Youth Advisory Committee stand out amongst other programs. The diversity in voices and opinions that I have seen and experienced throughout my three terms of being a member on the committee truly reflects the youth of Dublin, and I would love to be a part of the democracy in action that the committee embodies. As I look towards college, I am very interested in studying public policy and government, an interest that has stemmed from my past 3 years serving as a member of the Dublin YAC. I hope to further this interest with the program in the following term and continue to inflict positive change on the broader community. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I believe that the most distinctive trait about me that differs from other candidates is the fact that I have experiences from going to a school in Dublin and a school in Danville. I believe that I would bring a fresh perspective to the table given my different experiences in such schools and communities. My school is very different from the elementary school that I attended in Dublin, but through both schools I have learned to become an independent and critical thinker. The school I attend now prides itself on its emphasis on democracy in action, and it makes an effort to include student voice into every major decision the school makes. Through this I have learned the importance of everyone’s voice and vote in decisions. Notably, I have ran a voter registration drive for my school and hosted a mock 3 election to help foster democratic participation in my school. Additionally, I will be the 2021 delegate for my school's Girls State program this summer as a representative of the American Legion Auxiliary Harding-Noia Unit #161. My selection and interest for the Girls State program has stemmed from what I have learned during my 3 years of being on the Dublin YAC, and I hope to further my interest in government affairs and student democracy. I also believe that another skill that I possess is leadership. As well as being a current member of the YAC, I work at Vitality Bowls Dublin and serve as a stage manager for my school’s theatre program, which has taught me more about leadership under a stressful environment than I ever could have imagined. I truly believe that my fresh perspective and leadership skills make me a strong candidate for the Youth Advisory Committee. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? A large issue I have seen in Dublin teens has been the lack of teen-only activities that Dublin offers. I believe that the YAC could address this issue by promoting more outside of school activities and programs for teens. Another issue I have noticed has been the lack of connection between Dublin teens at the public schools and the Dublin teens at private schools (Valley Christian, Quarry Lane, etc), as well as between the homeschooled teens of Dublin. I believe that by promoting teen activities for ALL Dublin youth and teens, the YAC could have a positive impact on these estrangements between Dublin teens. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? I will be participating in Cross Country, Varsity Women’s basketball, and Track and Field at my school, however, these activities did not have a large interference will my participation in the YAC this year, and I don’t believe they will hinder my ability to participate in the YAC this upcoming year. I will also be in Theatre Tech, which only requires time outside of school during the two tech weeks during the year (November and February). I will also have various inside of school activities, such as being a student ambassador and my entrepreneurship course, but those will also not affect my YAC attendance. Beyond school, I work at Vitality Bowls Dublin for 10-15 hours a week, but I am able to request time off for all YAC activities, and my work has not impacted my service on the committee this year. Lastly, my role as a representative of the American Legion Auxiliary Harding-Noia unit #101 will complement my work on the YAC and help equip me with the skills to properly represent the Dublin Youth Advisory Committee. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, I think I will be able to get teens not attending Dublin’s public schools involved with Dublin activities due to personal and school connections. I also have a strong connection with Empower Martial Arts (formally Shir Martial Arts) and Vitality 4 and City-sponsored activities? Bowls Dublin, which gives me access to many Dublin teens and a platform to promote various Dublin activities. Beyond my connections, I hope to push the YAC to promote events on social media more. I find that apps like tiktok and Instagram are the best mediums of communication, and I think the YAC would see a greater involvement in events such as the Benefit Concert if said events were better promoted. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? Yes, I attended the last Youth Advisory Committee regular meeting on Wednesday, February 24, 2021. The outcome of the meeting was establishing the volunteer roles that committee members would undertake for the St. Patrick's Day Festival and Imagine Playground ribbon cutting ceremony. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Hollis Carey letter of recommendation.doc Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Jeia Last Name So Street Address City Dublin State California Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 10 (Sophomore) 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee because I want to be more involved and contribute more to our community, in addition to being more informed. Currently, as a student, I don’t really feel like I know everything that is happening around me, and I’m sure there are several others in the same position. Usually what I hear the City of Dublin doing every year is the St. Patrick's Parade or I’ll get a glimpse of a flyer with some summer programs on it. I want to change this and reach out to those teens that were in my position and get them excited for events that the city plans. I also want to make sure that their input is taken into account in the decisions that are made by the Youth Advisory Committee. In school I play a similar role as the current freshman treasurer, and I want to apply the skills that I’ve developed not only at Dublin High School. This desire to help the City of Dublin is further fueled by my passion for community service; I’m an officer and a very active member for the community service 3 club Interact, where I organize district wide projects and fundraisers that include members across 13 areas. Specifically, I represent Area 3 and Area 4, which have 12 middle and high schools total. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? My greatest strengths are my resourcefulness, initiative, strong work ethic, attention to detail, creativity, and communication skills. In class or extracurriculars, I often take the role of the leader in group environments. No matter what the assignment or project is, I always put my full effort into it. My skill set has been strengthened through all of my previous experience in leadership positions and classwork. As freshman treasurer, I’ve been in charge of maintaining connections with and communicating between administration, staff, students, and the other officers for fundraisers and other school events. This process entails getting input from the student body and ensuring that we could incorporate their voice and perspectives in the events we create. Additionally, because this school year has been entirely online, contacting and maintaining good relations have been especially difficult, but I’ve learned how to navigate through these challenges, making me prepared for anything that comes my way. This year, I’ve also been active as an Area Project Representative at a district level for the community service club Interact. In this position, I represent two areas that cover 12 middle school and high school Interact clubs. I communicate between all of the officers of each school’s Interact clubs and the district project coordinators to organize and promote projects that raise money for our community and international service projects. Both of these positions required me to be flexible and versatile, especially considering the current pandemic. As both a class officer and an area representative, not only did I have to do my own job well, but I had to have the skills to fully support the other members. These experiences have pushed my creativity in the way we brainstorm and market unique, fun events that the majority would enjoy. I am determined to go above and beyond in every opportunity that arises, no matter how big or small. Every project and event required close attention to detail to ensure that everything went well in our online environment, and I am really proud of how much I’ve grown my skill set this year! 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and One of the biggest issues that I believe teens in Dublin are currently facing is finding educational opportunities and 4 how do you think YAC could address these issues? internships for the summer. This is especially difficult because of early application deadlines, which mean that students have to find these programs usually in January. Personally, it has been a challenge to find these opportunities, and it took a lot of time to search and dig around for them. The applications I’ve completed took a lot of time to complete and required additional resources like teacher recommendations, which make it imperative that students find them early. I think the best way that YAC could address this issue is by creating a website that compiles all the opportunities available to different grade levels not just in Dublin but in nearby cities and universities as well. Additionally, it would be great if Dublin could partner with the business community and provide opportunities for students to be mentored and get experience in real work training through summer internships. For most students who do not have the proper connections or resources, summer internships could represent a barrier to entry in highly competitive colleges or a career after high school. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? Activities I will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year are Gael Force Robotics, the girls basketball team at Dublin High, the community service club Interact, and as the newly elected Sophomore Class Treasurer. These are activities that I have been involved in this year as well, and I have been able to manage my time well to still have more than enough time for my studies, homework and other hobbies. I will be able to devote as much time needed each month for YAC meetings and activities next year! 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? Social media is a big part of promoting and getting people interested in events, and on these platforms, marketing and visuals are very important. The main way I would get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City- sponsored activities would be to use my previous graphic design and publicist experience to make widely appealing promotional posts that inform and encourage teens to participate. For the past year, I have acted as the publicist for Dublin Interact and the visual design chair for Gael Mentors; I have created videos, flyers, meeting slides, and visuals to promote these clubs and attract new members. I would also use my leadership positions in clubs and my role as a class officer to aid in spreading the word to members. I will also reach out to friends and acquaintances so that they can also invite others. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City I have not recently attended a YAC, Dublin Commission, or City Council meeting. But, I have attended a student forum run by Dublin High’s Student Board Representative Katie Cheng. In 5 Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? this session, students, including myself, were given the chance to speak up about our concerns regarding school reopening, alternative credit choices, and other topics. Being able to hear other perspectives or opinions from peers and upperclassmen was really interesting because they brought up points that I had not considered previously. One of the major changes that was a result of this meeting was that alternative credit options such as BYU, Berkeley ATDP, Stanford OHS, UC Scout, and Quarry Lane. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Jeia YAC Letter of Recommendation.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Youth Advisory Committee Application First Name L Last Name Anna Street Address City Dublin State CA 2 Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? DHS What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 12 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? TEST 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? TEST 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? TEST 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? TEST 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? TEST 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome TEST 3 of the item(s) you were interested in? 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). TEST 1.docx Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Liam Last Name Bray Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Fallon Middle School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 8th grade 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? Over the past year, I have been spending more time with my family because of the quarantine. When I read about this opportunity, I got excited and discussed it with them, especially because my sister, Sarah, was on the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee for 2 years. They felt I would be a good candidate as I enjoy discussing important issues and sharing my thoughts. Also, I have lived in Dublin for the majority of my life and have always loved the city so I would like to help it as much as I can. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I am very intuitive, logical, and creative. This allows me to think inside and outside the box when presented with problems to solve. For example, during the pandemic, I had to figure out how to focus and actively participate in my class with my mom and dad working from home and my two sisters going to school virtually in a small house. I learned that our wifi reached the garage so I set up a desk and chair. Yes, my background of 3 bikes and garbage cans looked weird but I had the peace and quiet that I needed. I am also very engaged in the community as I participate in many school sports, including wrestling and cross country, plus serve as the event manager for Fallon Middle School’s Video Game Club. Furthermore, I enjoy public speaking, as I am currently enrolled in speech and debate class at Fallon, and drama, having played Charlie in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? I know an issue teens in Dublin have to deal with is anxiety, especially with the pandemic. It can occur in school, home, or even at other places, like sports tryouts or at the grocery store. For me personally, sometimes spotting a classmate at Costco or taking a test makes me anxious. It would be very beneficial if there was a way to improve teens' self-image and confidence so they aren’t anxious. I suggest there should be more acceptance to these feelings and discussions that surround mental health. To make that happen, the Youth Advisory Committee could set up videos for students to watch that could give advice on how to help yourself. Around middle and high schools, the videos would help a lot of people as it is scary or embarrassing to talk to another living person when you can watch a video in private. When you lose your confidence and become anxious, it becomes extremely hard but this strategy could help teens get through tough times. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? In a normal school year, I would be involved in sports, including wrestling, gymnastics, track and field, and cross country, plus community theater. However, the events of this past year made me realize that there are important issues that I can help solve, like teen anxiety, so I will definitely make the time to participate on the Committee. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? First, I would explain the importance and value of getting involved in to friends. They have also experienced a tough year and better understand the importance of getting involved to help people. I’d also see what kind of advertising could be done in schools and social media. For example, my mom is a teacher in Dublin so I would see how she and other city educators could positively promote youth programs and activities in their classrooms. Maybe we could offer prizes to schools that participate. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date I have watched city council meetings with my family about the area around my house and what they are planning to do with it. 4 and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). C7F17A8B-45AE-4191-80B2-E73C6D29BC73.jpeg Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Medha Last Name Gowda Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 11th Grade 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I want to become a member of the Youth Advisory Committee because I want to provide the youth of Dublin with activities and programs that help them grow, learn, and have fun. I want the youth to be able to express themselves through the activities and programs provided while developing them into responsible and active members of the community. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I am hardworking and I display leadership qualities while listening my peers' opinions and successfully completing the task whether it be individually or as a team. I have excellent communications skills and I am dedicated to making our city better. I am also easy to talk to and I get along with everyone, this allows me to understand other's opinions and advocate for them. I also care deeply about our city and our community. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are Especially during the pandemic, I feel that the teens in Dublin are currently struggling with their mental health. I believe that 3 currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? we can address this through hosting Covid- friendly programs and events via Zoom. We as a committee have seen a lack of participation this year due to the pandemic and I want to change this. We can do this through providing events that interest the youth while helping them develop the necessary skill sets to be successful in the future. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? I am currently on the varsity cross country and track and field team. I also participate in the HOSA club and have been in the Biomedical Academy for my entire high school career. I regularly volunteer at the Alameda County Community Food Bank. I have also been on the YAC for 3 consecutive years and have helped organize and volunteer at several events. I will be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? Social media has a big impact on the lives of many teens. I believe that creating a social media account for the YAC would greatly benefit the committee as it would allow us to have a bigger platform and inform the youth of Dublin about activities and programs that the YAC is offering. I would be more than happy to create and manage this social media account if this idea is approved. I would also promote activities and events being held by the YAC on my social media accounts, tell my friends about them, and put up posters around my school's campus. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I have been a YAC member for 3 consecutive years and I have since attended the YAC meetings. I have also had the wonderful opportunity to attend, volunteer, and help host events, activities, and programs that were held by the YAC. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Mrs Aguiar LOR for MEDHA GOWDA.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. 2 First Name Mannat Last Name Dhot Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 11 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I believe we can create the greatest impact in the community through deep engagement between citizens and local administration institutions like the high school and city council. As the only student member of the Dublin Unified School District Homework Committee, I was able to first hand witness how the voice of a student can help to positively influence the academic programs that students go through. Last year, serving on the Youth Advisory Committee helped me get a first hand experience of the work the committee does. Working on the Youth Mini Gr \ant program helped me understand how students can help other students in the community. I want to continue on this path of citizen participation. To this community, I contribute my time and ideas. A lot of my close family and friends have been affected by this pandemic and I want to work with the council by sharing my thoughts on how we can help those around us and devoting my time to following through on this change. I can also contribute my leadership experience. As 3 Vice-President of CJSF I led my team in breaking the Alameda County Record for the number of cans collected, during the Food Drive. And, as an intern for Bay Area Bhangra Empire I have learned how to take control of a room and easily get everyone’s attention. This experience will come in handy during club meetings when we are on the spot. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? As someone with extensive experience in previous leadership roles I have the organization skills to create a meticulous plan to execute on my vision. I have the ability to focus on the big picture while creating a well thought out & documented plan of action. I also keep track of all the details required to deliver multiple events and remain calm under pressure to come up with solutions when things do not go as per plan. For the past year I have been working as Marketing Manager for Youth Coding Workshops (YCW) and my responsibilities included planning events like the Programming Fair, recruiting new volunteers, and expanding this program across the Tri-Valley. By effectively delegating tasks to my team and using constant check-ins to track progress we were able to reach our ambitious goal. By reaching out to local business and community members like Tim Sbranti, the former mayor of Dublin YCW grew from a small tutoring group to community renowned after school program with branches in various middle schools in Dublin, Livermore, and San Ramon. Most importantly, I connect naturally with people due to my authentic leadership style. I know how to effectively delegate tasks, recruit volunteers and rally people around a cause, because I have done this successfully many times. As Vice-President of my school’s California Junior Scholarship Federation Chapter I led the Hunger Games Food Drive. The project did not start as expected and there was low engagement, but I was able to quickly figure out why and changed our strategy to have donation bins in various spots on campus and foster some friendly competition. The results were outstanding and my team ended up breaking the district and county record for the number of cans of food collected. My love and compassion for the community makes me a problem solver that always wants exceptional results. Only my family and close friends know the joy I get when I am able to help someone to the best of my ability. In the council, I will work to directly connect to the community and listen to the problems faced by our fellow students. This will make the council a more cohesive unit 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? The first issue faced by the majority of Dublin Teens is too much pressure. Dublin teens face a lot of stress in coping with the demands of their day to day academic excellence and extra-curricular activities. This is further compounded by peer 4 pressure and the potential lack of guidance on academic & career choices. YAC can help work with students across the city and create mentorship & training opportunities so that students can discover what is the right path for them. Given the global pandemic, this issue has only magnified. Another issue faced is a lack of unity. As Dublin Residents we are fortunate to be living in a community with so much diversity, but the problem lies in the fact we are unable to share this with others. Dublin always honors our proud Irish Culture. In this spirit I want to work with YAC to ensure that the teens in our community are able to learn about other cultures as well. By organizing fairs and showcases we can create awareness of other cultures and create one united Dublin Community. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? For the next school year I know I will be involved in 2 key clubs on campus: Debate and DECA. At a DECA Mini-Con this last year I placed 2nd in the marketing category and want to continue this path as well as grow in Speech and Debate, where I placed as a quarterfinalist and octofinalist and many tournaments this year. I am also a Tutor for the Non-Profit, Forging Opportunities for Refugees in America (FORA). As a tutor to a refugee student I spend 1 hour every weekday helping her develop her mathematical skills. These commitments vary by time range and I know that I will be able to make time for YAC, as helping the community is another passion of mine that I would want to continue to pursue, and my exceptional attendance record as a YAC member these past 2 years has shown that I always make this committee a priority. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? I would get other teens involved in many ways. As a member of multiple clubs, I interact with a large diverse community of students and parents. I will be able to spread the word on these events to my fellow club members. Alongside this I can spread the word on my social media page to further raise awareness on these important opportunities, like I did last year to promote YAC’s Benefit Concert and Mini-Grant. Most importantly I will talk to other teens in the community and encourage citizen participation. By being a member of the Youth Advisory Council I will learn more about the events and who they help. This will allow me to talk to other students and explain to them how they will benefit by attending these programs. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome Yes, I have been a very active in YAC and have attended nearly all the meetings these past 2 years. The latest one was the February 24th where I had the chance to learn about various YAC events and could volunteer to sign up. Serving a community through direct engagement is always something I strive to do, so I was excited to learn about the various 5 of the item(s) you were interested in? chances to serve my community, like at the Saint Patricks Day Events. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Mannat Dhot YAC 2021.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Mannat Dhot Letter of Recommendation.pdf Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Neel Last Name KarurParekh Street Address City Dublin State California Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Fallon Murray Middle School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 7th grade 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I want to become a member of the YAC for 3 reasons. 1. I want to learn about the community 2. I want to help the community 3. I want to have fun. I have lived in Dublin for 9 years and I want to learn about my community. Being a YAC member is an opportunity like no other. It will be a fun and new experience. I want to do so many things and learning about the community will help me become more knowledgeable and contribute to people around me. I want to help the community because I know covid times are really hard and I have seen a lot of people who need help in big and small ways. Finally, I want to have fun. This will be cool and fun. I get to have input on what happens in my city and make a positive impact by being on the YAC. 3 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I possess many skills that would make me a strong candidate for the YAC. 3 of them: 1. I am a team player 2. I work very hard 3. I do good work. I am a very good team player and have 5 years of experience being a team player. I have been on a team for 5 years and participated at the global level in a creative, problem-solving program called Destination Imagination. In my team, I have 7 teammates, and destination imagination requires a lot of teamwork. Collaboration is what has gotten us to the highest level of competition. Next, I persevere a lot. I will get things done if you give them to me. I am a reliable person and any job you give me I will complete. No matter how hard it is I will try my 100 percent best to get it in on time and have a good end result. Another important skill l I possess is I do good work. I am a perfectionist when it comes to projects. Even if something small is out of line I will fix it. This skill helps with really cranking things up another notch. I do my best and a lot of the time it turns out pretty good. I have a lot of general knowledge about things, so when I try new things I can apply my knowledge to that activity and give it my best. All these skills will make me a strong candidate because I don't hesitate to support others, try new ideas, persist, and give them my full focus and attention. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? There are a lot of issues teens are suffering from. A few big ones are loneliness, cyberbullying, unhealthy lunches, road safety, hunger, and not enough exercise in this quarantine. 1.There have been so many reports of loneliness and cyberbullying. It is just really horrible. The YAC can address these issues by maybe raising awareness about these problems and make a system on how to get rid of cyberbullies and help people who feel lonely. 2. We need to improve the nutrition value of our school lunches. Also, since covid is getting better, hybrid learning is starting, more and more students will be relying on school lunches. The YAC can address that by education, asking for change, and support healthier initiatives for school lunches. 4 3.Hunger is also a huge problem Dublin Unified School District and they gave out 18,000 meals over Christmas break. The YAC can address that by making more drop spots for food and increasing volunteers. This will really help a lot of people. 4.Lack of exercise. The YAC could address this issue by encouraging parents to encourage their kids to get out more, start a run club and make exercise fun! Maybe they can do fun activities in a form of exercise and also really raise awareness about this issue. The bottom line is really just raise awareness about the problems and that will already help a lot. These are just some examples of so many others that the YAC can have an impact on. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? I anticipate being involved in Speech and debate, Spanish class, Violin class, and Destination Imagination. I am aware that sounds like a lot, but I know I can manage and I will be able to devote all my attention to YAC in the meetings. I do not procrastinate on my work so I will be paying full attention to the meetings and activities. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? I would get other teens involved by fun activities and all enticing events. I believe that I can host a fun food activity. Who can give out the most food in an hour to people in need? Popcorn and hot chocolate event after a 5K! Other events like that can entice them and let them have fun. I feel this would attract so many people and overall it would be successful recruitment. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? Yes, I attended the meeting which awarded the youth grants to several worthy projects in our city. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. 5 Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). NKPYACLttr (1).pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) YAC Letter of Recommendation for NKP (1) (1).pdf Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Youth Advisory Committee Application First Name Nikhil Last Name Sakthirajan Street Address City Dublin State CA 2 Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 9th Grade 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I would like to work with community leaders and members to build programs that will help youth to be actively involved in the community. Our community is faced with crowded schools, limited facilities at schools for programs, limited opportunities to participate. I would like to apply leadership skills learned as part of Boy Scouts for the last 5 years and improve them while serving the community. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? •Leadership •Presentation •Host/Manage events I have been actively involved in scouting for the last 5 years and held several leadership positions such as patrol leader, senior patrol leader. During this scouting journey, I have led several activities for troop 904. I have also participated in DUSD meetings to represent challenges in cottonwood creek(K-8) school. I have been part of service projects and voluntary activities to support the local community. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? Lack of Funding in Schools for additional programs - Limited involvement with Students in the Community activities Overcrowded Schools Increased Cyberbullying Solutions: Awareness campaigns stop cyberbullying, gambling, drug use, etc. Community service program for teens for active involvement from elementary and middle school City Events that can benefit Schools- For example, a run for education 3 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? During the 2021-2022 school year, I will be attending the following activities •Scouting (2 hours/week) •Track & Field (3hours/week) •Cricket Practice & Game (6 hours/week) (seasonal/weekend activity) I plan to balance my school workload and schedule other activities to make time for YAC meetings/events. I am confident to make necessary schedule adjustments to contribute to this role. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? I plan to invite BSA troops in Dublin to participate in community and city-sponsored activities. I would also bring awareness among students on Youth activities through PFC events. Also, I plan to help appeal to teens by introducing fundraisers that incorporate elements that they would be familiar with. For example,we could have a video game competition as a fundraiser. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I have been to the DUSD city council meeting on December 11th, 2019. In the Meeting, I talked about issues in CCS. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Letter of Recommendation - Nikhil.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Pradnya Last Name Kadam Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 12 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I would like to become a member of the Youth Advisory Committee because I believe that I can provide a lot of insight about different aspects of the community since I participate in numerous activities that help me gain new perspectives about issues. I am also interested in this position because I want to see how me, a 17 year old, can help other teens during these trying times. I am also interested since I think that this is a great opportunity to learn more about the community and how there is a diversity of perspective here in Dublin. But most importantly, I’m interested in inspiring young people, like me, to take action and contribute to their community to make a difference. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? The skills that I possess that would make me a strong candidate include leadership skills, I have participated in numerous volunteer opportunities that have required me to take charge and lead a group of individuals. One such 3 volunteer project includes being a Teacher’s Assistant at an organization called Chinmaya mission where I help students learn and develop a passion for the language Hindi. I additionally have time management skills which I have obtained through playing on the Girl’s Basketball team for Dublin High. Through my time on the team I have learned how to balance my workload with my other extracurricular activities. Playing on the Girl’s Basketball team for Dublin has also allowed me to understand how to cooperate and work as a team to achieve a goal. I have been doing art for around 12 years, and through that journey I have gained skills in creative and imaginative thinking. I believe that this will allow me to be very open-minded in terms of the different solutions and activities that we come up with on the board, while at the same time will help me think of out-of-the-box solutions to any issues that may arise during the course of the meetings. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? Some of the issues I believe that teens in Dublin are currently dealing with are related to the pandemic and not being able to have the same social interactions they would normally be having by attending school and other extracurricular activities. I know that Dublin typically provides a great deal of activities and programs that students can participate in, however, I believe that the committee can address more virtual activities that can help students stay safe while at the same time help them connect with others virtually. I also think that providing more virtual volunteer opportunities can be a good supplement for teens who are struggling to find activities to do during the pandemic. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? I am part of the Dublin High Girls Basketball team, so things like practices and games may be scheduled during the weekdays or weekends. I am additionally a volunteer for the Chinmaya mission where I spend some time tutoring children on Saturdays. Despite these activities, I do believe that I will be able to commit myself to the Youth Advisory Committee's meetings and activities. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? I believe that there needs to be more information spreading via social media and other forums that students in the DUSD school district use. Social media is one of the quickest and most effective ways to spread information among the older student body (high school students) since many already use social media for events at school. I additionally believe that it would be helpful to partner with the school’s leadership committee to help spread the words about any events or activities that the city might be planning since the leadership committee is usually tasked with spreading more information about in-school activities. 4 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I have not attended any meetings as such. I did, however, apply for the Dublin Diversity Committee last year. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Letter of Recommendation.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name PRAVIT Last Name KURMAPU Street Address City DUBLIN State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Fallon Middle School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 6 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I want to become a member of the YAC Dublin to give my opinion of what I think is useful and helpful for the younger kids. I would like to represent 6 grade kids to share our opinion and ideas. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I always volunteered in class to put away the laptops at the end of the day. I lead a team in a science project in 3rd grade. I would help my friends with math and other subjects whenever they need. I also volunteered with my parents at events. I like to help people and protect the environment. I like science, history and animals. I can share lot of information about them. I like to play all sports and games. I can teach basics of musical notes and piano. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and Kids and Teens spend too much time on social media and electronics instead of reading, playing and having fun in the outdoors. Not caring about the environment and using too 3 how do you think YAC could address these issues? much of nature's resources. I would like to emphasize the fact that we need to care about our surroundings. Character building is very important in teenage to become a responsible person. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? This year was bad for everyone due to Covid 19 but more for me personally. Other than school there were no other activities this year. Just play in the backyard or in the park with my brother and parents. Before this I would have one activity per season. Baseball during spring and basketball in fall and winter. I think I should have enough time to participate in YAC meetings and activities even when I get back to my seasonal sports. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? I can organize basic drills to play baseball, basketball and cricket so kids spend more time outdoors and not sit in front of screens. I can teach music and piano. I can get involved and help volunteer in YAC and City sponsored activities. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? No 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Field not completed. Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Rini Last Name Jain Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Fallon Middle School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 8th Grade 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? The City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee is a great leadership opportunity as it is the driving force that plans and organizes activities for Dublin youths, many of which I have attended. The YAC motivates youths from our community to actively take part in community events. Being part of the YAC will expose me to activities happening in our city and also learn what it takes to implement successful community events. I will get an opportunity to work with like-minded people that have the same goals for developing our community. In the past, I have been my class representative and worked with the student council. I thoroughly enjoyed serving in this position where I got to represent my class, be their voice, and work with the council on planning student activities. In addition to that, attending meetings in an environment where there are senior members and people with experience will 3 teach me how to identify key issues, deal with conflicts, and help solve problems. This will develop my personality in many different aspects, such as teamwork, communication, problem- solving, and public speaking, which would allow me to advance into greater roles in the future. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I believe, to be a successful YAC member, one needs to be confident, open-minded, creative, committed, and a positive role model who has strong communication and leadership skills. Through my experiences in past leadership roles, I have strived to develop these skills which I believe will help me serve well in the YAC. I will be a good role model to other youth members of our community by actively participating and encouraging them to take part in community events. I have good organization and communication skills, which will help me in planning and coordinating activities with other members, as well as publicizing events. I have held leadership positions in the past, such as class representative in third, fourth, and fifth grades, and I am currently serving as the vice president of the Make A Change club at my school. Being a class representative taught me commitment and responsibility at an early age. I attended monthly student council meetings and gathered information about school events. Currently, as Vice President of the Make A Change club, I assist with leading the meetings, brainstorming and finalizing ideas, and publishing informational videos to spread awareness about global issues. I interact with members of the club and work collaboratively to make the club run smoothly. With my leadership experience, skillset, commitment, and positivity, I believe I will be able to undertake the responsibilities of a YAC member. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? Being a teenager, I know we deal with all sorts of issues like stress, mental and emotional health, inequality, etc. Teenagers go through hard times, especially with the stress of maintaining school grades, friends, social and extracurricular activities. Additionally, current times have made things worse where students are attending school virtually, and it may be hard to find support and be motivated to do work. Teens also face problems like bullying and cyberbullying. They get judged for their race, their culture, traditions, and even the food they eat. Teenagers get mentally and emotionally affected by these things. To help prevent some of these issues that teenagers go 4 through, awareness is very important. We can spread awareness through social media platforms. We can build a support system and little things like reminding people to check up on friends to make sure things are good. Every little action can make a difference. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? During the 2021-2022 school year, I plan to attend dance and piano classes, and a club at my school. I would definitely be able to devote time each month towards YAC meetings and actively participate in organizing events hosted by the city of Dublin. I believe I manage my time quite effectively, so I will be able to balance things out between school, extra-curricular activities, and YAC meetings and activities. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? To make the city of Dublin's events successful and to increase participation, I will help spread awareness through social media. I will inform people at my school about these events, and to notify beyond the set of people we know, we could make posters and flyers. Apart from spreading awareness, we can also advertise these events. We can make the events attractive by offering incentives. Teenagers are always looking for volunteering hours, so we can award volunteering hours for helping out. Another incentive could be a fundraiser opportunity. We can set up booths for those looking to fundraise and allow them to set up fundraising activities, for example, face painting, bake sales, talent shows, cultural performances, etc. Another attraction could be inviting local leaders and professionals to give motivational speeches or talks at these events. Such an incentive will generate interest for youths of the community and will increase participation. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I have not attended these meetings in the past, but I plan to attend the next meeting on April 28. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. 5 Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Rini Jain - Recommendation - 1.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Rini Jain - Recommendation - 2.pdf Application materials must be submitted via this online applicati on form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Youth Advisory Committee Application First Name Rithu Last Name Lakshman Street Address City Dublin State CA 2 Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Quarry Lane School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? I will be a junior 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I've served as a member of the Youth Advisory Committee since June 2018 to June 2020 and participated in discussions and meetings pertaining to the welfare and benefits of our youth. Along with serving, I have volunteered at many of our city’s events such as the Saint Patrick’s Day festival and the Tree Lighting Ceremony, and I have enjoyed working with my teammates at those events. I want to continue making a difference in our small world by continuing being a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee to represent the youth of our community. As a previous member and a teenager myself, I would like the city officials to have awareness regarding the rising issues associated with adolescents in our city, since our country's youth is our future and we need our future to shine bright with resolved issues. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I would be an ideal candidate for the Youth Advisory Committee because I have great leadership skills and could organize projects and events efficiently. I have accumulated experiences as a YAC committee member for the past two years. I am also a very cordial person and could understand the gravity of many matters. Changing the mind of distraught youth and making the world a better place is a very serious topic, and I would love to help make that possible here at Dublin. I would put a lot of effort and work to accomplish my goal of making everyone satisfied. Furthermore, I believe in unity. One of my assets is to bring my peers and friends together to work on concerted events for good causes. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? In general, the teens in our city are happy, however, as like any other places our teens also face problems including, academic stress, age related stress, family related issues, transportation stress, and to the very least extent, teen drug related issues. Once kids grow older, the pressure of getting into the perfect college and having the perfect GPA start to get in their heads, and they have no way to try to study and work hard and not get 3 stressed at the same time. With this stress, even with six hours of studying before a test is useless because they can't concentrate without thinking pessimistically. Also, some teens may have changes in their family, like divorce or siblings moving away, which then transforms into depression since change is hard, and many people don't know how to cope with change. While going to high school, most Dublin students travel in bus or car, and the commute take a 1-2 hour round trip. Many people at Dublin don't have this issue, but some may be drug abusers, and that can cause serious health complications and mental problems, which we don't want. One solution to this problem is to strengthen young minds to be more resilient and to strive for good intentions, even during hardships; whether it may be personal or at school. Meditation is proved effective during these times, and we need to find ways to make some teens understand that. Most of the time, they don’t realize that what they’re doing can lead them to take the wrong path. I would like to organize practices such as yoga/other pro mental health activities through YAC to help students feel happier; in the point of view as a previous member. And especially during these times, I feel like more of my peers are thinking about more "mature topics" such as race and gender norms. Recently, there has been a significant increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans, specifically women and the elderly. It's important to reassure people that we can protect them, and overall, educate everyone on what is happening in our country right now. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? I am and will continue participating in Science Olympiad competitions and managing the team, as a vice captain. I play on the Quarry Lane Badminton Team and I am the one of the editor on the Quarry Lane Journalism club. Along with that, I am a Student Ambassador at Quarry Lane School who interface with students and parents. I also regularly practice archery. Yes, I will be able to participate in YAC- meetings and - activities each month and contribute to fundraising for good causes of our city and citizens. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? I would invite them to fundraiser events and other City- sponsored activities for a sense of community. In fact, before the pandemic, I invited many of my friends to the Saint Patrick’s Day Festival and even friends from neighboring cities attended. I would also persuade them to come and donate to support for any good cause and make them understand the importance of the efforts using many methods that I have learned in Speech and Debate class. My marketing skills are reliable, so I made websites for my school teams and clubs, 4 and could do the same for events such as the Benefit Concert. While I was a member of YAC, I distributed Benefit Concert posters to my classmates and neighbors. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I was serving as a member of YAC and attended monthly meetings from June 2018 to June 2020. I always participated and discuss special events, planned, and executed the plan with other peers of the committee. It always gives me satisfaction because I feel that we are not only helping citizens and youth of our city to enjoy their time but also help us mature as young adults. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Rithu Dr. M rec (3).pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Rithu Recommendation Letter Mrs. H.pdf Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Youth Advisory Committee Application First Name Riya Last Name Kawatra Street Address City Dublin State CA 2 Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Fallon Middle School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 8 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I would like to become a member of the Youth Advisory Committee because I love this city and I want to contribute to the positive environment here in Dublin. During these troubling times, it is especially important that we encourage and support all the young people in Dublin to be the best they can be. As a student going through the difficulties and challenges of this pandemic, I want to be able to provide my peers with a safe and fun environment to get their minds off of stress and hardship. I’ve always looked up to all of the leaders in Dublin and I’m excited to be posed with an opportunity to help make Dublin a better place. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? Becoming a member of the YAC comes with many responsibilities and dedication. I am a responsible, trustworthy, and organized person. I always turn assignments in on time, I contribute and lead group projects and discussions, and I take accountability for my actions. I am also a good leader and public speaker, and this school year, I was in leadership and helped plan days for everyone at school to come together and have fun. Being a basketball player, I have gained great teamwork and communication skills. Also, I have started a free tutoring service to kids in younger grade levels to help them and encourage them to have a positive attitude. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? I believe that many teens and Dublin are dealing with stress. Being a student in a pandemic isn’t easy and many of my peers are overworking and draining themselves. I think the YAC can address this issue by providing seminars or ideas of how to unwind and deal with stress, and then passing them on to schools so students can use them. Another issue I believe students are dealing with is depression and lack of motivation. Not being able to communicate with people at school has taken a toll on many students. I think the YAC can address this issue by promoting self help days across social media and talking to 3 teachers and staff members about providing more information about the dangers of depression and healthy ways to cope. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? I will be involved in a sports team, along with Fallon CJSF, however I will still be able to devote time for the YAC meetings and activities. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? I would get other teens involved in the community, events, and other activities, by promoting everything on social media, mentioning the events at school, and by telling friends, and neighbors. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I have not recently attended a YAC or other meetings, but I am looking forward to attending them soon. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). letter of rec Riya.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) 2021-03-18-164023.jpg Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Romal Last Name Mitr Street Address City Dublin State California Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? The Quarry Lane School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 11th grade 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? As a young girl living in Dublin, CA, it is imperative that I strive to better my community, whether it is through my school or on a city-wide platform. The Youth Advisory Committee is a venue in which I can voice my opinions/ideas and foster a sense of community spirit. Advocating for what I believe in and organizing events, I can indirectly enhance the Dublin community to make it a more accepting and vibrant place to live in for young adults. I would love to not only appreciate, but also sustain diverse viewpoints that can be taken into consideration to make a positive impact in our Dublin community. Giving back to my community and volunteering have always been passions of mine because it allows me to connect with the youth cohorts. By listening to their problems and proposing solutions, I discovered a method to understand the community around me and actively engage with the people. The Youth 3 Advisory Committee allows for me to acquire more knowledge and gain exposure towards the various issues facing teens in Dublin, equipping me with a unique lens to view the world. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? Constantly striving to make a mark in my community, I am in an eternal pursuit to improve and advance the city of Dublin. By being observant and identifying key obstacles in the community, I am able to work towards a long-term effective solution for these problems that can be upheld for years to come. Aside from bringing my ideas to the table, I am an extremely open-minded member of the Dublin community. Always looking for new adventures and experiences, I am fond of trying new things and incorporating everyone’s ideas. I enjoy working in group settings and appreciate team members’ inputs, believing that the best results are often reached through a collaborative effort. My essence is characterized with the “4 C-adjectives”: Competent, Confident, Credible and Committed. In addition, I bring in a whirlwind of positivity and unbridled enthusiasm that can uplift and energize city events. Since I am a student at the Quarry Lane School, I can facilitate the clear and effective delivery of information back to the student body through announcements and flyers. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? 1) One prominent issue that currently faces the teens in Dublin is the plastic pollution throughout our city. Although Dublin has implemented many programs to reduce the amount of plastic accumulation, such as introducing composting in most places, the environment can be further preserved by taking some simple yet innovative steps. The Youth Advisory Committee could implement a program to ensure that all teens are educated about the importance of clean-up efforts so that we can all join together in solidarity to become active stewards of our planet. In addition, Dublin’s YAC could use the concept of ‘plogging’ to encourage the protection of our planet. Plogging is the combination of jogging and picking up litter, a way to encourage both environmental awareness and physical activity for all community members. The Youth Advisory Committee could popularize this as a unique and interactive method to feel a part of and improve the Dublin community. In addition, in order to directly decrease plastic pollution, YAC can promote environmental education in youth cohorts around the city. By hosting environmental awareness events and setting up booths at city-wide events, YAC can encourage youth in our city to understand the importance of preserving our planet, allowing for Dublin to become a more sustainable emerald city. 4 2) Drug usage has become a prevalent problem especially in our Dublin community. Anti-drug campaigns promote awareness about the paramount importance of not using drugs. Since YAC is comprised of fellow teens in the community, our opinions in anti-drug campaigns can resonate better with peers and make them more receptive to changing their perspective against drug use. YAC could champion a city-wide, week-long anti-drug movement to sway public opinion against the use of drugs and guide teens towards the right path to success. 4.What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? As the President of my school’s Environmental Club, I actively participate in various projects such as clean-up efforts, implementing rain gardens throughout the school campus, organizing several environmental workshops, and launching environmental education magazines and podcasts. Also, I am an advocate for the currently under-represented rare disease community as I believe that these patients have a story to share and deserve to be heard. As a part of my role as an advocate, I have used my passion for moviemaking and editing to create a documentary to spread this message of hope and raise awareness about the current situation. My documentary has been able to spread its message to many people since it was accepted into many international film festivals and is streaming to a platform of 80 million households through Roku and Amazon Fire TV. I will certainly be able to devote time for YAC activities and meetings each month. I am skilled at time management, and my organization skills will help me be meticulous when planning my schedule on a daily basis so that I can fulfill my duties on YAC. If, at any point in time, any of my extracurricular activities after-school clash with a YAC meeting or event, I will ensure that I prioritize YAC as it is a long-term commitment that I am extremely passionate about. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? As an active and intrepid community member, I would be able to effectively involve other teens in the local activities in Dublin put on by the city and the Youth Advisory Committee. Considering the reach available to me through social media, I would raise awareness about these events and encourage participation on my various social media platforms. In fact, I have created numerous Snapchat filters showcasing Dublin’s proud heritage. In addition, I can encourage the students and teens at my school to attend by discussing these events at school-wide assemblies and by obtaining permission to hang up posters/fliers about them around the school campus. In addition, as an avid filmmaker, I can make short videos and films to publicize events and encourage participation. I will 5 advertise these events with enthusiasm and ensure that teens will not only attend these events, but also participate in them with substantial involvement so that they can engage more with the community. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? Since I am currently a member of Dublin’s Youth Advisory Committee, I have attended all of the meetings from the beginning of this year’s term. During every meeting, I attempt to voice my opinions and thoughts during the sessions and receive input on my ideas. The last meeting that was the held was the February YAC meeting on Wednesday, February 24th. In this meeting, we discussed the various end of the term goals that we hope to accomplish this year, such as volunteering opportunities for the St. Patrick’s Day Chalk and the opening of the Imagine Playground. Additionally, I successfully led the presentation to secure funding from the Youth Mini Grant and obtained funds for my school’s Environmental Club to continue our efforts to launch my school’s first environmental magazine and education podcast series. This presentation was given to YAC in December. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Romal Mitr - 2021 Recommendation Letter (YAC).docx Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Youth Advisory Committee Application First Name Sakthirajan Last Name Chelliah Street Address City Dublin State CA 2 Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 9th Grade 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I would like to work with community leaders and members to build programs that will help youth to be actively involved in the community. Our community is faced with crowded schools, limited facilities at schools for programs, limited opportunities to participate. I would like to apply leadership skills learned as part of Boy Scouts for the last 5 years and improve them while serving the community. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? •Leadership •Presentation •Host/Manage events I have been actively involved in scouting for the last 5 years and held several leadership positions such as patrol leader, senior patrol leader. During this scouting journey, I have led several activities for troop 904. I have also participated in DUSD meetings to represent challenges in cottonwood creek(K-8) school. I have been part of service projects and voluntary activities to support the local community. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? Lack of Funding in Schools for additional programs - Limited involvement with Students in the Community activities Overcrowded Schools Increased Cyberbullying Solutions: Awareness campaigns stop cyberbullying, gambling, drug use, etc. Community service program for teens for active involvement from elementary and middle school City Events that can benefit Schools- For example, a run for education 3 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? During the 2021-2022 school year, I will be attending the following activities •Scouting (2 hours/week) •Track & Field (3hours/week) •Cricket Practice & Game (6 hours/week) (seasonal/weekend activity) I plan to balance my school workload and schedule other activities to make time for YAC meetings/events. I am confident to make necessary schedule adjustments to contribute to this role. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? I plan to invite BSA troops in Dublin to participate in community and city-sponsored activities. I would also bring awareness among students on Youth activities through PFC events. Also, I plan to help appeal to teens by introducing fundraisers that incorporate elements that they would be familiar with. For example, we could have a video game competition as a fundraiser. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I have been to the DUSD city council meeting on December 11th, 2019. In the Meeting, I talked about issues in CCS. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Letter of Recommendation - Nikhil.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Satviki Last Name Chaturvedi Street Address City Dublin State California Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 11th grade 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? The year 2020 was an interesting one, seemingly with more downs than ups. I watched as many of my friends and family would isolate themselves not only by force (due to Covid restrictions) but eventually by choice too. Dublin’s youth especially, most of us are missing out on the prime of our lives, a time where we should be able to have fun with no worries. As a member of the Youth Advisory Committee, our job is to literally formulate creative events for Dublin’s youth, and that’s exactly what I want to do. I want to be able to use my creativity, not just for myself, but also to make Dublin an even better environment than it already is, which is saying something since Dublin is a fantastic city to live in. Apart from being able to use my creativity, I also really want to understand how council meetings work and get a look at what happens in Dublin behind the scenes. I truly believe that the amazing life we as Dublin citizens have is only the product of incredibly long work hours, and now I want to be the person who puts in the work so that 3 other people can reap the benefits. Moreover, joining the YAC would really help me develop my leadership skills, which is something I feel like I can constantly improve on. It has definitely taken me quite a bit of courage to simply be able to speak in front of a crowd, but participating in big decisions and debating about what’s best for our city’s youth is really next- level stuff that I genuinely believe will pose as a good challenge to help further improve my leadership and communication skills. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? The main skill I possess is that I am extremely eager to not only follow my passion but also to excel in it. This can range from something as simple as attending office hours so I can get an “A” in class, or creating my own club to develop fundraisers for one specific charity every single month, each charity having a varying cause. Some other things I have done include: - Helping underprivileged kids during covid through Connect and Compute, where we would provide supplies to children struggling to continue their education (computers, advice, tutoring, etc) as well as entertainment to entire schools. We even ended up teaching Scratch basics to an elementary school in Georgia, however, this was only an event that happened during the summer, meaning that Connect and Compute does not take up much time right now. - I have dedicated 11 years to Martial Arts, meaning I have been doing the same thing since I was 5 all the way till 16, and I don’t plan on stopping. I genuinely love my Martial Arts family and pushing my physical limits, so now I am actually testing for my second-degree black belt, which is EXTREMELY exciting! - I started competitive swimming back in my freshmen year (around September of 2019) at the Junior Varsity level, where I would swim with people two or more years younger than me because I was so unprepared. However, within a couple of months, I managed to move up to the Senior Swim level, and that is all because I became obsessed with the sport, and I did not want to stop practicing until I got to a high level. In addition to my eagerness, I like to think that I get along with people well, and this skill was amplified when I participated in Model UN, which is essentially a mock United Nations. Through this experience, I learned to not only convincingly speak but to, more importantly, create resolutions with my team, which taught me how to compromise. Finally, I am a well-rounded person due to all the things I have participated in, which means that I have the flexibility to help out in absolutely 4 anything that is needed from the YAC members, and even if there is something I don’t know at first, I will try my absolute best to learn that specific skill in as short a time as possible. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? Right now, I am a high school sophomore and I have almost reached my junior year, so I can safely say that the biggest challenge Dublin teens are facing is the sheer boredom that comes with having to quarantine. With that boredom comes loneliness and depression, and that has manifested into people doing horrible things to themselves. One of the biggest turning points in my life was when a Dublin student had overdosed, and although I did not know him personally, many of my senior friends were really close to him. Seeing the horrible ripple effect of something as simple as boredom really affected me, which is why I want to partake in YAC and address these issues that our teens are having to face. Life as a teenager is filled with insecurities and angst just as is, but adding isolation to that already confused mindset will definitely have detrimental effects, which is something that we as a community must fix right now. Recently, the vaccine has come out, so to address this issue I believe it is important to host a bonding event; like maybe a miniature obstacle course for families, or even something like a pizza party where the City of Dublin sponsors pizza restaurants to deliver to Emerald Glen Park. Maybe we can even have Food Trucks! Either way, if we host a major event to celebrate the (hopeful) end of the Covid pandemic, I think people would have a great time and finally have a chance to meet people. If we are required to stay distanced, we can sponsor a massive Kahoot game or some other virtual games which encourage the youth to participate, maybe even some parents. Social distancing or not, it is imperative to host a bonding event for the whole community, and I would love to help plan this as well as implement it for our city. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? In the year 2021-2022 (during the weekdays), I will be involved in school, swim practice, Martial Arts training, and my own club responsibilities, however all of these commitments finish well before 7:00 pm, which I know is the typical time that meetings start, meaning that I will have lots of time to dedicate to YAC. On the weekends, I have piano lessons on Sunday and Martial Arts extra training on Saturday, however, these are at the most 3 hours long, meaning I have the rest of the weekend to commit to YAC. Even if I do end up busy with school work or extracurricular activities, I will always try my hardest to complete whatever I need to, especially for YAC. 5 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? The main platform I would take advantage of is social media and the internet. In this day and age, teens spend SO much time on their phones, so if we advertise on an Instagram account about all the activities we have done or will do, along with any important information, it would bring in so many kids. I have scoured the internet (mostly Instagram), and I believe that the Dublin YAC does not have an Instagram account. I would be very willing to dedicate my time and effort to creating and/or maintaining the official YAC account if I am selected to be a YAC member :) 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? On December 15, 2020, I attended the Dublin City Council meeting to see who won the mayor election, and that was Mayor Melissa Hernandez. Also, Sherri Hu and Michael McCorriston were the top council candidates with the most votes. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Letter of Recommendation_Satviki Chaturvedi.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Satviki Chaturvedi letter of rec YAC (1).pdf Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Youth Advisory Committee Application First Name Shoumik Last Name Manthana Street Address City Dublin 2 State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Fallon Middle School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 8th grade 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? I want to become a member of the Youth Advisory Committee because I know joining this group would be a fundamental way to make a difference and change our city of Dublin and our cities youth for the better. Issues that were unseen to the adult eye could be revealed by the student perspective, leading to solutions that could advance Dublin immensely in the future. Additionally, I want to join the Youth Advisory Committee because I love to work with others and would like to lead and work with a group as passionate as me to serve our community of Dublin. I also want to partake in service and help our community of Dublin using my skills as a leader and my interest in service to advance and be there when our city needs it the most. The YAC would be an extremely beneficial experience in which I could learn more about leadership and more importantly, collaboration with others, which would build on my communication skills and make me a more proficient and better overall person in general. The committee’s purpose is to serve our community of Dublin and I know I would be a perfect fit with my ideas and work towards the YAC. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I possess various skills that make me a strong candidate and member of the YAC. A partial list of my skills and experience include: 1) Leadership/Communication skills: I contain leadership and communication skills that could immensely help the YAC in its path for change in our city. As a basketball player, I understand firsthand, how important working with a team can be. If you don’t share the ball the defenders have the ability to steal it. Whereas, if you pass the ball, you have the opportunity to score. And I feel like this sentiment works in all aspects of work and life itself. The same can go for collaboration in the YAC, in which I know I can work 3 with others to better achieve our goal and hone it to perfection. But in some cases, a person must take charge, lead the team, and progress it. And that is the purpose of a leader, in addition to teamwork, I believe I have the ability to be a leader and progress a group to a final goal. As I find it exhilarating to have something flowing under my leadership and suggestion, and also bring out the best work in my fellow peers. 2) Arts and Music: In addition to some of the various soft skills I possess described above, I have been learning Southasian and Western vocal and instrumental music since the age of 5 and have participated and performed in various local and cultural events in and around Dublin. This has made me more aware of the cultural diversity present in our city and will help me understand the medley of needs of youth in our city while participating in the YAC. Also, music is a universal language, and with my knowledge, it can bring the community and city of Dublin together. 3) Service: Ever since I was little I have loved to serve and help others. As something in the acts of kindness, spark happiness in me. For all my life I have loved to serve and even now, during the pandemic, my family and I go to the Salvation Army Center in Modesto to donate food and clothing for the less fortunate and try to help out wherever we can. And with this, I know I can apply my love for helping others to further boost the choices and service I make for the YAC and therefore, our awesome community of Dublin. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? A teen has a variety of problems to deal with, from homework and good grades, balancing to extracurriculars as well. According to data collected by the American Psychological Association for the Stress in America Survey, teen stress rivals that of adults. Results of the survey show that not only do teens identify that their stress levels are not healthy, but they also underestimate the impact stress has on their mental and physical health. And these causes of stress must be reduced, so with the efforts of the YAC, it can be made possible. These are a partial list of problems and solutions the YAC could implement in our city. 1) Some youth struggle with academics during these times, so a tutoring and mentoring system may be created to allow students to communicate with people their age about academic or even social and behavioral issues. These programs could be 4 set up in a school to work around the students' time and provide them comfort and counseling in the various subjects they may be struggling with. In addition, the programs may also act as a peer counseling program for students to voice their concerns and let some steam off about relatable issues. 2) With the pandemic affecting kids across our City unable to communicate with each other. Teens are not able to have enough social interaction outside of school, and the YAC can address this issue by giving time in the day for students to just talk to their friends online for a short amount of time. In addition, while maintaining the necessary safety precautions, kids can meet up with their fellow peers organized by the YAC, in places like parks or specific areas to just talk and have enough time to let loose and release stress with kids just going through similar situations as them during these times 2) The process of quarantine has left students with no choice to go outside and get the proper physical exercise they need, which can lead to a negative mindset about themselves and other serious problems. In order to prevent this issue, the YAC could organize groups and information in which teens can either meet up socially distanced or with family to go on hikes, runs, and other forms of physical activities. Not only will it allow for proficient workouts, but it would also promote student confidence and allow them to get out of the “quarantine mindset”. 3) As the pandemic has put most congregations in a stalemate, our cities athletes are unable to play and do their usual activities. This is a very serious problem because some youth entirely rely upon the games, the scouts, and the scholarships into programs for a better future. A solution to this issue would be to allow games with only the players and necessary staff, as they all maintain the minimum amount of distance off the court. For example, the state of Alabama has opened up athletics in a similar manner in which only players and coaching staff stay on the premises maintaining social distancing. And while on the court, the ball is sanitized regularly. This same sentiment can apply to Dublin’s teen competitive sports to give them a chance in advancing to higher levels and reaping the benefits of competitive sports. So while a teen may have a seemingly endless list of issues, the YAC can easily improve and make a change in our city’s teens' livelihood. 5 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? During the 2021-2022 school year, in Fallon Middle School, I am currently enrolled in CJSF and the competitive speech and debate forum, participating in NorCal tournaments. Outside of school, I continue to learn western and South Asian vocal and instrumental. Furthermore, I play with a travel basketball team. Lastly, I have been participating in food drives and have volunteered at various shelters and events in and out of Dublin. While the pandemic has taken most activities and congregations with family and friends out of the picture, I still enjoy spending time with my family and meeting up or playing basketball with some friends over the weekend. Any of my academic or extracurricular activities will not be a hindrance to my active participation in the YAC. My music classes are held early in the morning at 6 am on weekends, and my basketball team has not played a game in the last year due to the ongoing pandemic and I do not see us playing in the foreseeable future. Even if we play, the games are one weekend per month only. My speech/debate is a seasonal event with a once-a-month tournament with an option to participate or not. Given that, I am confident that I will be able to devote adequate time and effort to engaging in YAC meetings, managing other extracurriculars and activities. To conclude, I am very excited about the opportunity to work with YAC and look forward to actively engaging with the committee 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? Dublin has a plethora of fun activities for all of its inhabitants, like the farmers market, splatter, and much more (now mostly postponed due to the pandemic). Following are a partial list of suggestions that the YAC could implement to help involve teens in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities 1) Encourage youth to apply their hobbies and activities to community events: - For example, Dublin is filled with youth-musical talent, so an event specialized for grades 6-12 could bring out kids to participate in something they love. And a competition aspect of the event can be incorporated due to the fact that teens (including me) love to compete with others, for a prize or, final glory and fame. As the senior vice president of Apple, Eddy Cue wisely said, “Competition on anything is good because it makes everybody better.” - District-wide art contests can be conducted for teens interested in drawing and willing to compete with people 6 interested in art as well. 2) Allow youth to conduct these events and play a role in leading them: Teens should be able to lead events and facilitate them as well because not only will it allow them to incorporate their interests. It would also teach teens valuable skills on how to stay organized and bring pieces together to create an end product with other teens. It would also cultivate leaders that will help our country as functioning members of society. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I have observed a Dublin Commission and City Council meeting online. On April 28, 2020, during a regular meeting, the council began to talk about the dealing of the heritage trees in order to better upgrade parking routes and a residential area. While I was watching the broadcast, I was especially interested in the change and decisions that were made during the meeting, and how it could change noticeable aspects of Dublin. In this instance, a decision to add an entirely new residential area was discussed and also, natural landmarks were discussed in the meeting as well. I think this was extremely important and had a few ideas myself while watching the meeting. For example, in my opinion, I would propose to just keep the heritage trees in their native positions and build accordingly to make the entry routes for the residential area. Redwood trees are milestones and are signs of the original land of Dublin, so they should not be compromised for a small amount of land. Even as the trees fit the requirements of the Heritage Tree Ordinance of 1999, they provided no set of harm to the community and could be easily built around. Therefore, the destruction of the trees is not necessary. In the YAC, I hope to be able to discuss these same issues with my passion to help that could change our community for years to come. The YAC is meant to serve the city of Dublin, and I know I can do this job to the best of my abilities. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Shoumik Manthana.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Shoumik recommendation.pdf 2 First Name Srutilaya Last Name Mani Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 12th Grade 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? As an involved student at Dublin High School and in the Dublin community, I would like to continue to serve and unite the Dublin community by planning immersive and interactive events, encouraging the Dublin community to join together. Ever since I moved to Dublin in 2017, I noticed the prominent divide between East and West Dublin present in not only the community, but also in Dublin schools. I found myself determined to unite Dublin’s students and residents by applying my creativity to plan events that allow for everyone to work together. In addition to establishing unity, I want to make decisions on the workshops and events available for students as I have witnessed the struggles that students face with mental health and stress. Introducing community-based mental health workshops and events that allow students to speak up upon their struggles, allow for them to take part in stress- relieving activities and games, and be presented with resources to call for help will allow the younger generation in 3 our community to understand each other better and spend some time helping themselves and each other. Finally, Dublin is so fortunate to have so much diversity across the city, and I feel it is important to celebrate the diversity we are so lucky to have here in Dublin. I want to call for creating events to express our diversity and cultures and explore different cultures and traditions by hosting multicultural carnivals with performances, food, and speeches. My passion for establishing a unified Dublin community, celebrating diversity, and taking care of our youth has encouraged me to be a member of the Dublin Youth Advisory Committee to execute my creative visions for the future of Dublin. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I am a student who is extremely involved at Dublin High School and passionate about helping others in my school and community with my wisdom and leadership. One of the activities I devote a lot of time and attention to is my position as a mentor in the Freshman Mentorship Program at Dublin High School. Mentoring freshmen has not only helped me strengthen my leadership skills, but has also improved my collaborative skills and my creativity. I work with my fellow mentors to create activities for our freshmen that will help them manage their stress, have fun with us and their classmates, and be more comfortable as they enter into their crucial four years of high school. The experience I have gained as a mentor will allow me to strongly present my opinions to the board, listen and work with other committee members to plan and decide on events, and execute all plans on time and efficiently. My passion for volunteering and helping the community will drive me to brainstorm other ways to help our community and those struggling. I am constantly thinking of ways to make Dublin a better place and before I leave for college, I want to create a change in our community that leaves us more united and educated. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? Some of the most obvious and important issues that teens in Dublin currently deal with are mental health, peer pressure, and lack of representation. Mental health is a concern that most teens across the world deal with, but this issue has become especially more difficult and concerning due to the pandemic. Although schools have resources available for students to utilize in case of a crisis, teenagers continue to struggle with personal issues and need a better outlet to help them cope with these issues. For starters, it is important that we conduct a survey as a community to hear all of the specific struggles that teenagers are facing in order to best figure out what to target when holding stress-relieving and mental health awareness events and workshops. One way to address 4 everyone’s concerns is by holding a “carnival” that has different booths that target different mental health concerns and have different stress-relieving activities. This event will also include guest speakers who can share their experiences and give some of their advice. By incorporating all of the responses we receive from teens, the Youth Advisory Committee can coordinate this event and bring many resources to combat mental health concerns during and after the pandemic. In addition, a lot of teenagers, especially high school students, receive a lot of peer pressure when it comes to academics. As college admissions gets more and more competitive over the years, students tend to compete with each other by taking classes that may be too difficult for them, leaving them stressed and panicked. This not only affects their academic performance and interest in school, but also elevates their stress levels. I personally have experienced this peer pressure and it can be extremely overwhelming to avoid comparing yourself. It is important that the committee seeks to provide free academic resources and college admissions events to students in Dublin to alleviate the stress and help students be prepared for college. In addition, this issue must be addressed through talks and assemblies inside and outside school to the community to discourage students from comparing and competing with each other. The committee could plan these events and talks to help our teens alleviate their stress and enjoy their experience at school. Finally, teenagers feel like there is a lack of representation and acknowledgement of the student’s voices in the Dublin community. Students’ concerns rarely are considered and teenagers are unable to voice their opinion and struggles. The YAC needs to better represent the younger generation by allocating equal importance to the opinions of Dublin’s youth in every decision made. This allows for better perspective and different approaches when making important decisions. It is also important that all concerns are addressed and students are given the opportunity to speak to the board so we can provide what they want and need from the Dublin community. The YAC has a lot of power to change the negative experiences that teenagers face, so it is important that we hear everyone out when making our decisions. 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? During the 2021-2022 school year, I will be involved in many activities. I will continue to be a mentor at FMP, volunteer at California Tamil Academy as a teacher’s assistant, be a part of Dublin High’s Bollywood dance team and an advanced dance team outside of school, be the head of web development and executive board member at FEMchess, and a member in various clubs. Although I take part in many activities both in and out of school, I will be able to devote time each month for 5 YAC meetings and activities as I will place my priority involvement to the committee. As this is a large responsibility, I will not miss any meetings and will stay as an active participant and advocate in the committee. I will continue to work with members outside of allocated meeting and preparation times as well to coordinate, collaborate, and prepare for future events and meetings. My passion to help my community will drive me to be completely immersed in my responsibilities as a committee member. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? I am very knowledgeable of what exactly drives teenagers to participate in events, especially those offered in the community. Teenagers will be more encouraged to attend city events if prizes or gifts are involved and if they feel they can gain real benefit from attending events. The events should not only be a way to address certain issues, but also be a place where teens can go to with their friends and hangout with their friends. Ensuring that every event has exciting games, prizes, and food will excite teenagers and they will be more willing to go. In addition, I will go door to door to hand out flyers to ensure that teenagers are aware of the events going on in the city and what they can gain from it. Although I want the events to address important issues, like mental health and stress, I think the YAC should also plan other events that encourage friends and families across Dublin to meet up and hangout, such as a carnival or a drive-in movie. As we see the light at the end of the tunnel for the pandemic, more teenagers will be inclined to attend events as they will be eager to spend time with their friends. Utilizing this to organize fun activities will increase participation from teenagers. Finally, having schools publicize events that are academic and mental health related will also encourage teenagers to attend the events. I am sure that teenagers across Dublin will become more united and eager to participate once we establish these events. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I enjoy attending the Dublin school board meetings as the outcomes of the meetings directly impact our students. If I am unable to attend, I usually watch the recorded meetings afterwards to ensure that I am aware of what is going on in the community and in Dublin schools. I also keep a lookout for new videos on the Dublin Unified School District’s youtube channel and follow all social media that informs us of events across Dublin to inspire me and increase my knowledge of what Dublin offers. One of the most important meetings I attended was the meeting on April 22nd, 2020 where the board discussed whether or not to implement a Credit/No Credit grading system, which would directly impact students. After hearing the student’s voices and concerns about receiving 6 grades during a pandemic where resources are limited, the board decided to implement a Credit/No Credit system for the spring semester of 2020. I was thrilled that our student body received some recognition and the students were so excited to have their voices heard. I look forward to keeping this excitement among students by hearing them out before planning activities in the Youth Advisory Committee. 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Sruti Mani - Letter of Recommendation.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Sruti Mani Dublin YAC rec ltr.pdf Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 2 First Name Tvisha Last Name Joshi Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 10 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? Firstly, I just want to say that I care for the community and believe that I have the skills necessary to be a good candidate for the YAC. This has been my home for 8 years, and I have loved seeing Dublin progress as a city. In addition, helping people has always been my passion and purpose. I have volunteered and interned at Kumon, a local math and reading center, and the most rewarding part of the job was empowering students to become independent and self advancing individuals so that they can actively contribute to our society. I have been a peer educator and counselor at Fallon Middle School, and have participated in several projects that helped the Fallon community. The best part of these projects was the feeling I got knowing that I made the school a better place for the community and educated people on how they could pass it on. I have also worked with the Rewire community organization where we have actively conducted workshops and presentations to raise awareness towards important social, 3 environmental, and health issues. In addition, I have volunteered at the Dublin Library where I got the opportunity to interact with Dublin youth and I got the opportunity to inspire them and understand their needs and develop efficient ways to communicate them. This was very rewarding, and I want to have more opportunities where I can do the same for others. Based on my experiences and background, I feel ready to move forward and take a more proactive role through the YAC to give back and support my community's needs. Out of all my experiences, I've noticed a disturbing trend of sadness and loneliness in our community. I feel like the YAC will help me take proactive action to build and support my community. 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? I have a variety of skills that would serve me well in this position. Firstly, my experiences teaching at Kumon gave me the ability to kindly communicate with a variety of students, from Early Learners to high school students. I have the skill to guide them and inspire them to do their best and be independent. I know how to recognize their abilities and their concerns. In addition, volunteering at the library taught me valuable skills in how to connect with children and teens and motivate them to effectively use their time in learning and advancing. Furthermore, my experiences at Rewire, taught me current issues that students are dealing with, as well as effective ways to address those issues, and bring about awareness and change. Finally, my experiences as a peer educator taught me how to think creatively and outside the box to solve important and pressing issues in the teen community. It gave me more awareness on the current issues that teens have and ways to solve them. 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? Currently, a vast majority of teens are dealing with feelings of loneliness and isolation. We have a lack of connection with our community as we have been staying at home a lot. This can be solved by a coordinated effort to provide teens with meaningful and productive programs that will increase their happiness and well being. For example, more gardening/nature hiking/park clean-up events can be held in order to fight loneliness. Being out and spending time in nature has been proven to increase a persons well being. Also, another issue that teens currently face is a disturbing amount of competition in schools. However, this competition isn't restricted just to the halls of school. It permeates our homes and our community, and it should be stopped. This could be addressed thorough peer engagement and counseling. If we hold more team building events that emphasize the power of connection and diversity, this could help develop feelings of friendliness and connection through all the members of the community. 4 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? As a high school student, I am busy, but I am also a reliable and disciplined individual. I prioritize my work and responsibilities to make sure that they get done on time. I have a part-time job at Kumon(~2 hours per week), and a karate class (90 min per week). I will be doing a little volunteer work as well. I have no hesitation in confirming that I will be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities. 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? To get other teens involved, I will emphasize how the even will appeal to and benefit their well being. This can be done by emphasizing the aspects of the event that make it significant. Also, by giving them important and responsible positions, they will feel more inclined to participate. In addition to this, I will give them and advocate for them to have a platform to share their opinions and suggestions relating to the specific event that would make it more enjoyable for everyone. Furthermore, I can help put posters in prominent locations around the city. Studies show that the more you see something, the more appealing it is to the brain and the more you like it. I can also spread the word through my social media. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? Yes- 3/16/2021 One of the highlights of this meeting that I was drawn to was the resolution for the equal of Asians and Pacific Islanders that our city is considering to adopt. Looking forward to that! 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). Joshi_LOR_21 (1).pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. 1 Youth Advisory Committee Application First Name Veena Last Name Bhaskar Street Address City Dublin State California 2 Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What school will you attend in the 2021-2022 school year? dUBLIN HIGH What grade will you be in during the 2021-2022 school year? 12 1. Why do you want to become a member of the City of Dublin Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)? TEST 2. What skills do you possess that would make you a strong candidate for the YAC? TEST 3. What do you believe are issues teens in Dublin are currently dealing with, and how do you think YAC could address these issues? TEST 4. What activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021-2022 school year, and will you be able to devote time each month for YAC meetings and activities? TEST 5. How would you get other teens involved in the community, teen events, and City-sponsored activities? TEST 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome TEST 3 of the item(s) you were interested in? 7. Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a non-family member (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application and must be received by the application deadline otherwise the application will be incomplete. 8. A formal interview process for selected applicants may take place. Upload Letter of Recommendation (required). TEST 1.docx Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 1 Student Representative to the Parks and Community Services Commission First Name Pratyush Last Name Rallapally Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What high school are you currently attending? Dublin High School What high school will you be attending in the 2021‐ 2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade (Junior or Senior only) will you be during the 2021‐2022 school year? Junior 1.Why are you interested in serving on the Parks and Community Services Commission? I am interested in serving on the Parks Commission because as someone who takes advantage of the Parks Services on a daily basis, I recognize the far-reaching responsibilities that the Parks and Community Services Department has on the everyday lives of residents. Rather than being on the sidelines, I believe that it is my civic duty to be actively involved as much as possible in the Parks Services' development and running. Attachment 2 764 2 From all of the services I have utilized, from the parks to the enrichment programs, it is only fair that I dedicate the same effort to its vision. 2.What is the most important contribution you can make to the Commission? Being the only student member of the Commission, I hope to accurately represent the needs and wants of Dublin's youth. From the perspective of myself and the younger population, there is a perceived gap in understanding between the policies of the City Council/government and the wishes of my peers. I aim to bridge the gap between generations by serving as the students' voice on the committee. 3.What knowledge do you have of the parks and recreational facilities in Dublin? The parks and recreational facilities are much more expansive than one would assume. They include the Dublin Heritage Center, the Wave, public art programs, Senior Center activities, the summer enrichment programs, and of course, the parks, which also include the dog parks and trails in Dublin. 4.What knowledge do you have of the programs offered through the Parks and Community Services Department? Have you ever participated in a program (such as J.A.W.S., Dublin L.E.A.D., J.L.P., Youth Advisory Committee ‐ YAC) or class offered by the Parks and Community Services Department? I know that the Parks Department offers many enrichment programs during the summer (I went to basketball and swimming camps for many summers), including sports, music, and science. In addition to that, the Dublin Heritage Park has plenty of information about Dublin's history throughout the 19th and 20th centuries (I was planning on becoming a tour guide before Covid unfortunately happened). As said previously, I have taken at least one class offered by the Parks Department most summers since moving here in 2014. 5.What school and/or extracurricular activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021‐2022 school year and will you be able to regularly attend the monthly meetings? At the moment, I am currently serving as Secretary of Quizbowl and Destressions (a stress-relieving club because Lord knows how burdened everyone is during the pandemic) and will continue those positions next year. Additionally, I am a member of the DHS Orchestra, its Leadership board and the Oakland Youth Orchestra, playing as a lead cellist. I also take public speaking and stats classes, and basic Chinese courses online, and I do volunteer transcribing on the side. None of these activities will hinder my ability to attend the monthly meetings. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I have watched many City Council meetings, especially those concerning the new high school and the protocol for online learning back in the summer of 2020. The meetings concerning online learning involved installing cameras in the classroom, a move which was (thankfully) denied, and debating between full online and hybrid. 765 3 6. Provide at least two (2) Letters of Recommendation from non-family members (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The Letters of Recommendation must be signed. You can upload your Letters of Recommendation using the file upload link below. Upload 1st Letter of Recommendation (required) Ms. Dunkle_Rec.PDF Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (required) Letter of rec. for Pratyush.pdf Upload 3rd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 766 767 Dear whom it may concern, My name is Joyce Park Tsunekawa, and I am writing this reference for Pratyush Rallapally, who is applying for the Student Representative role for the Parks and Community Services Commission. I am a cello instructor and a freelance performer based in Oakland, California, and hold a cello studio of students throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. I pursued my Bachelor ’s of Arts Degree in both music performance and education through California State University, Sacramento, and my Master’s Degree at San Francisco Conservatory of Music. I had the pleasure of teaching Pratyush cello lessons for the last six years and through my Sycamore Junior Chamber Orchestra for two seasons. Amongst the many strengths and qualities of Pratyush, he stands out with excellent communication skills, the ability to listen, and consistently growing his skills. Throughout our weekly lessons, he shows constant improvement in his musical talents and how he articulates his communication. Remote learning has been a challenge for this past year, but Pratyush quickly adapted to his new role to ensure that our lessons stay effective and efficient. In our weekly assignments, he shows passion and a growth mindset through his work. When Pratyush was a part of my Sycamore Junior Chamber Orchestra for two seasons, Pratyush was responsible for leading the cello section. It was his first experience in a group ensemble, but he excelled with his incredible social skills, empathy for others and contributed immensely to create a harmonious group. A fellow cellist in Pratyush’s section was struggling to fit musically and socially with the group. But through Pratyush’s strong leadership and his patience in helping out, the student found the courage to continue his time with the ensemble. Later the student’s father expressed that Pratyush was a big inspiration to his son’s decision to keep up his playing and continue to grow with the group. If it was not for Pratyush’s empathy and excellent leadership, the student might never have felt included. The main director recognized Pratyush’s contributions. He strongly recommended Pratyush audition for the higher level orchestra that he did the following summer and advanced into the main Sycamore Chamber Orchestra (an older age group and requires more skills). In conclusion, I would highly recommend Pratyush Rallapally for the Student Representative for the Parks and Community Services Commission. If Pratyush’s performance in our classes indicates how he would perform in the position, he will be a positive addition to your organization. If you would like me to elaborate on any details or have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 510-910-3648 or by email at joycetsunekawa@gmail.com. Sincerely, Joyce Park Tsunekawa 768 1 Student Representative to the Parks and Community Services Commission First Name Saanya Last Name Goel Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What high school are you currently attending? Dublin High School What high school will you be attending in the 2021‐ 2022 school year? Dublin High School What grade (Junior or Senior only) will you be during the 2021‐2022 school year? Senior 1.Why are you interested in serving on the Parks and Community Services Commission? I am interested in serving on the Parks and Community Services Commission because I have a passion for giving back to the community I live and go to school in. I have been a committee member of the Youth Advisory Committee for the past three years and currently serve as the chairwoman. I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the committee as I learned what it means to be on a governing body and how the political process works. As the student representative to the Parks and 769 2 Community Services Commission, I wish to further my knowledge of due process and provide insight being the youth representative on this commission. I think it is very important that the Parks and Community Services Commission has a strong youth perspective to guide the commission in its projects that impact the youth of Dublin. 2.What is the most important contribution you can make to the Commission? Dublin is home to a variety of people coming from different backgrounds. It is important that our city realizes these unique backgrounds and work to create locations in our city where everyone feels included. This commission provides Dublin with parks and recreational programs. Inclusivity can easily be promoted through this means, whether it be an art piece dedicated on reflecting the uniqueness of our citizens or an after-school program introducing children to the differences in society and how to accept them. If I am chosen to represent youth on this commission, I will promote inclusivity through the various programs and activities designed for our community. 3.What knowledge do you have of the parks and recreational facilities in Dublin? Having lived in Dublin my entire life, parks and recreational facilities in Dublin have been my favorite pass time. From taking various classes to sliding down slides, Dublin's recreational programs and facilities are every kid's dreams. I know that Dublin recently had the ribbon cutting ceremony for the first All-Abilities playground in the area. This project is just one example of how Dublin goes above and beyond in providing for their citizens. The Wave also attracts customers from all over, bringing in revenue and allowing families to enjoy a nice day in the sun. In addition to these state-of-the-art facilities, Dublin has an impressive amount of neighborhood parks, promoting health and wellness in citizens. 4.What knowledge do you have of the programs offered through the Parks and Community Services Department? Have you ever participated in a program (such as J.A.W.S., Dublin L.E.A.D., J.L.P., Youth Advisory Committee ‐ YAC) or class offered by the Parks and Community Services Department? The Parks and Community Services Department offers various programs available to people of all ages. I know that there are always classes or programs that people can take part in and there is no limit to what is being offered. People with different passions will be able to find something that they enjoy. As I have stated before, I have been a part of the Youth Advisory Committee for the past three years and was elected this year to be the chairwoman. I have also taken various after-school classes over the years that have helped me find hobbies that I enjoy to do in my free time. 5.What school and/or extracurricular activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during I am currently and will be part of the high school club Teens Unite For Education in the 2021-2022 school year. I am the president of the club and we are helping low income students in Dublin through fundraising for school supplies or food. In 770 3 the 2021‐2022 school year and will you be able to regularly attend the monthly meetings? addition, I am also interning with a local optometrist on the weekends to figure out what I would like to pursue career-wise. Regardless of these activities, I will have time to attend the monthly meetings. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? I am currently part of the Youth Advisory Committee and have attended all of the meetings since the beginning of the year. Out of all our meetings, I think the one that was the most influential and important was the December 9, 2020 meeting. As a committee, we were able to give back to the community by providing clubs and organizations money that support Dublin residents. I think this was an item that was interesting and important to the community. The final decision made by the committee was to divide our funds and give them to 6 groups, all with varying purposes aimed to create a better Dublin. 6. Provide at least two (2) Letters of Recommendation from non-family members (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The Letters of Recommendation must be signed. You can upload your Letters of Recommendation using the file upload link below. Upload 1st Letter of Recommendation (required) Tari Hathaway - Saanya Goel Letter of Rec for Student Representatve for Parks and Community Services Commission.pdf Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (required) Julianne Sundstrom - Saanya Goel Letter of Recommendation for Student Representative for Parks and Community Services Commission.pdf Upload 3rd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 771 23 March 2021 To Whom it May Concern: I have had the pleasure of teaching Saanya Goel in English 3 this year, as well as working with her on the club Teens Unite for Education (TUFE). Saanya serves as president of TUFE, and at the beginning of the year, she reached out to ask me if I’d be the club’s advisor. During these strange months of distance learning, I would not know many of my students if I passed them on the street, due to cameras pointed at the ceilings or not turned on at all. But Saanya stands out. Her face is consistently framed clearly in her camera’s frame, she participates in class, and she also comes to my office hours to get advice about her writing. Seeking help is such a hallmark of maturity and an important skill for any leader. I admire Saanya’s deep desire to improve, as well as how she consistently works toward learning and growing. She never seems discouraged by challenges or setbacks; instead, she employs a growth mindset. Furthermore, Saanya’s efforts do not only extend to furthering her own growth; she is a natural leader, and works productively with others. She does not hesitate to state her opinions, but she does so in a calm, respectful manner. The fact that she is president of TUFE speaks volumes about her dedication and commitment to improving the community of which she is a part. I’ve witnessed firsthand how committed she is to fundraising and improving the educational experience of preschool and elementary school children. Saanya is enthusiastic, diligent, and innovative in whatever she sets her mind to. I wholeheartedly recommend Saanya for the Student Representative for the Parks and Community Services Commission of Dublin. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at hathawaytari@dublinusd.org. Sincerely, Tari Hathaway English Teacher TUFE Advisor Freshman Mentor Program Advisor Dublin High School 1 772 March 23, 2021 To Whom It May Concern: I am delighted to write this letter of recommendation for Saanya Goel to take part as the Student Representative to the Parks and Community Service Commission for the City of Dublin. Saanya is an experienced candidate for this position as she has been a committee member to the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) for three years and currently is the chairwoman. She has the skills to be effective in this role as student representative. Saanya is a strong leader as she has demonstrated in my class. Saanya is enrolled in the Biomedical Academy, where I have had the privilege to watch her grow as a confident and hardworking learner. From everyday assignments to creating a real life scenario for the entire class to participate in, Saanya never falls short of exceeding my expectations. Saanya has shown great methods of leadership especially by working and communicating with her group through an online platform. Having her in my class shows that she is passionate and is eager to make a difference in her community. In addition to being an outstanding student, she is currently the president of her high school club: Teens Unite for Education (TUFE). TUFE has done a marvelous job in providing school supplies and snacks to underprivileged students in Dublin. Saanya also was involved in raising money and awareness for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) as part of the Student of the Year program. Through her education and extra curriculars, it is evident Saanya is eager, diligent, and hardworking in all her endeavors. I am positive Saanya will do a splendid job in making decisions that would positively impact the City of Dublin. I strongly believe that Saanya will be the right candidate to represent the youth perspective on the Parks and Community Service Commission. Please consider Saanya to take part as the Student Representative to the Parks and Community Service Commission this year. Feel free to contact me if you have any more questions. Sincerely, Julianne Sundstrom, DVM Dublin High School Science Co-Chair and Biomedical Academy Coordinator sundstromjulianne@dublinusd.org www.dublinusd.org/dhs 773 1 Student Representative to the Parks and Community Services Commission First Name Kunal Last Name Khaware Street Address City Dublin State CA Zip 94568 Email Address Phone Number What high school are you currently attending? The Quarry Lane School What high school will you be attending in the 2021‐ 2022 school year? The Quarry Lane School What grade (Junior or Senior only) will you be during the 2021‐2022 school year? Senior, 12th grade 1.Why are you interested in serving on the Parks and Community Services Commission? I have lived in the City of Dublin for my entire life, volunteering, learning, understanding, and applying myself to the community. I want to become a member of the City of Dublin's Parks and Community Services Commission because I hope to improve the city I have seen grow for the past decade and learn more about our city's government. My inspiration to join this Commission stems from my strong desire to live a life of public service, aspiring to be a future elected official, and the Parks 774 2 and Community Services Commission would act as a foundation to fulfill my ambitions. Throughout the past couple of years, a great deal of political and social turmoil encompassed the lives of many youths, inclining my will to contribute to the Parks and Community Services Commission. My primary vision for this commission is to understand the significance of participating at a community level, pushing for collaboration and required reforms while inspiring each and every activity with a youth perspective. By becoming a member of the Parks and Community Services Commission, it would provide practical insight and knowledge on being a leader in our local community, acting as a valuable output for me to learn and apply my skills. Ultimately, I hope to serve as a helpful addition to the Parks and Community Service Commission and look forward to new opportunities and experiences. 2. What is the most important contribution you can make to the Commission? I believe the most important contribution I can offer to the Parks and Community Services Commission is to be a strong leader and bring a fresh perspective to the various agenda items we will discuss. If chosen, I will conduct myself in a humble and respectful manner, exhibiting empathy, communication, punctuality, organization, open-mindedness, and having a principled intention with each conversation. I have developed these attributes through a multitude of prior experiences and by daily practice. With my previous experiences in political campaigning and advocacy, working with Tri-Valley Mayors, City-Council members, and community activists, focusing on resolving specific housing and environmental issues, I have gained a deep understanding of cooperation, compromise, and a certain amount of vigilance. Moreover, I wish to lend my talents and further hone them by joining the Parks and Community Service Commission. 3. What knowledge do you have of the parks and recreational facilities in Dublin? Being raised in the City of Dublin, I have gotten to experience the beauty of the parks and recreational facilities in the City of Dublin. Growing up next to Emerald Glenn and Ted Fair Field Park, I have spent countless summers with friends having fun and enjoying the areas closest to us. As a young athlete, I have spent many seasons of Soccer and Baseball at Dublin Sports Ground, playing league sports representing the City of Dublin. Overall, I have spent many years at the available parks and recreational facilities such as the Shannon Community Center and the Dublin Wave Waterpark. Personally, I believe that the activities I participated in as a young person helped build my 775 3 confidence, work-ethic, and friend group; therefore, I will strive to improve upon them coming out of a global pandemic and ensure that the young people in the City of Dublin have safe havens for excitement and relaxation. 4. What knowledge do you have of the programs offered through the Parks and Community Services Department? Have you ever participated in a program (such as J.A.W.S., Dublin L.E.A.D., J.L.P., Youth Advisory Committee ‐ YAC) or class offered by the Parks and Community Services Department? From June 2020 to May 2021, I was appointed as a Youth Advisory Committee member in the City of Dublin. Though we were in a global pandemic, I still engaged actively during meetings and in any volunteer activity available such as the opening of the "All-Abilities" park at Dublin Sports Ground and the Shamrock Festival Chalk Walk. As a young student, I was enrolled in many summer learning camps at the Shannon Community Center, learning about videography, film, and editing. During my time at John Green Elementary, I was enrolled in the after-school recreation programs; thus through first-hand experience, I understand the importance of the programs offered by the Parks and Community Services Department. I have never participated in J.A.W.S., J.L.P., or the Dublin L.E.A.D. programs but am familiar with them and the beneficial value they produce to young students and teenagers in the City of Dublin. 5. What school and/or extracurricular activities are you currently involved in or will be involved in during the 2021‐2022 school year and will you be able to regularly attend the monthly meetings? Since I embarked on my high-school journey, I have immensely involved myself in a variety of extracurricular activities that further my career ambitions and goals. For instance, for the past three years in high school at Quarry Lane, I have had an elected role in Student Council, serving as the Freshman Class Vice-President, the Student Body Publicity Officer in Sophomore year, and this year, the Junior Class Vice-President. Working in these capacities taught me to be accountable and responsible for my elected duties, ranging from picking up the pizza to sell during lunch, organizing school-wide rallies or dances, and now, designing school events during a global pandemic. Nevertheless, I was also exclusively selected as a Head Student Ambassador at my school, helping new students adapt to the new academic environment at Quarry Lane. Additionally, I gave public speeches, provided tours and one-on-one talks to new families, and immersed myself in the student body. Beyond my academic and extracurricular activities, I remain politically active in many seasonal campaigns, advocating for beliefs and values. I am industrious in my time management and would like to demonstrate the same energy and passion to the Parks and Community Services Commission. I can confirm that I will actively prepare, participate, and attends to the 776 4 Commission’s agenda to enhance the City of Dublin's Parks and Community Services. 6. Have you recently attended a YAC or other Dublin Commission or City Council meeting? If yes, what was the meeting date and what was the outcome of the item(s) you were interested in? In the past, prior to my duties as a Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) member, I did attend many YAC sessions regarding the City of Dublin’s mini-grant program given to regional school clubs. My first YAC meeting was on Wednesday, December 11th, 2019, as part of the Quarry Lane Environmental Club where we earned $400 dollars of funding for our Rain Garden and Earth Day celebration. I also participated this year on December 9th, 2020 for the Quarry Lane Environmental Club, receiving $340 for our digital magazine. As a member of YAC, I have diligently attended many meetings in my appointed role. Nonetheless, as an active member of the community, I have religiously attended City-Council meetings that dealt with housing policy in the City of Dublin. Beginning in April of 2020, I began voicing my opinion on many housing projects like the "At-Dublin" project to the City-Council through public comment. Although we did not completely achieve our desired outcome, I demanded more community outreach on large-scale projects and did receive a positive response to that idea. I have come to know a majority of the City-Council members and enjoy discussing new ideas with them. 6. Provide at least two (2) Letters of Recommendation from non-family members (i.e. employer, counselor, teacher, coach, etc.). The Letters of Recommendation must be signed. You can upload your Letters of Recommendation using the file upload link below. Upload 1st Letter of Recommendation (required) Field not completed. Upload 2nd Letter of Recommendation (required) Field not completed. Upload 3rd Letter of Recommendation (optional) Field not completed. Application materials must be submitted via this online application form. The application deadline is 5:00 PM, Friday, March 26, 2021. Applications or letters of recommendation will not be accepted after the deadline. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. 777 MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL P.O. Box 520, Pleasanton, CA 94566-0802 123 Main Street (925) 931-5001 Fax: 931-5482 March 25, 2021 To Whom It May Concern: It gives me great pleasure to offer a recommendation on behalf of Mr. Kunal Khaware. I have found Mr. Khaware to be friendly, a good communicator, excellent at follow-up, and willing to work hard as a representative for the community. For these reasons, I am recommending Mr. Khaware as a student representative for the City of Dublin’s Parks and Community Services Commission. I first met Mr. Khaware when he contacted me as a member of the Tri-Valley Sierra Club and an environmental activist. News had emerged that the Century House, a historic home, and community asset within Pleasanton, needed expanded parking. The site under consideration was a portion of the adjacent grassy area of our Bicentennial Park. As a concerned City Councilmember, I promptly responded and together we set up an outdoor meeting with Kunal and approximately 10 residents that live nearby. Together we listened to their concerns and set up follow-up meetings with city staff and the Pleasanton Parks and Recreation Commission. I was impressed by Kunal’s knowledge about the project, his friendly manner, and his sense of humor. He has the rare ability to communicate with people of all ages, which can be difficult for many youth members. Occasionally, Kunal and I will discuss local issues that concern both of our communities. His level of engagement and empathy towards his community gives me hope for our future generations. For these reasons, I hope you will consider Kunal to be a future member of the Student Representative for the Dublin Parks and Community Services Commission. Sincerely, Karla Brown Mayor of Pleasanton 778 The Quarry Lane School Dublin Campus: Jr. Kindergarten-12th Grade 6363 Tassajara Rd. Dublin, CA 94568 P (925) 829-8000 F (925) 829-4928 Pleasanton Campus East: Infant/Toddler, PreS and PreK 3750 Boulder St. Pleasanton, CA 94566 P (925) 846-9400 F (925) 462-1066 www.quarrylane.org Pleasanton Campus West: Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten 4444B Black Ave. Pleasanton, CA 94566 P (925) 462-6300 F (925) 462-1066 “Education is a lifelong commitment”® 3/24/21 Dear Mr. Siu, My name is Shannon Harrison, and I am Kunal Khaware’s Counselor at the Quarry Lane School. I am thrilled to be recommending him to potentially be a Student Representative to the Parks and Community Services Commission. From the moment I met Kunal I was incredibly impressed by his drive, passion, and dedication to public service. Kunal is incredibly ambitious. He has really challenged himself academically and performed beautifully. He is beyond responsible and takes feedback well. Because of this I think he has incredible potential- the ability to adapt and grow in any situation. Kunal has been an elected Student Council Official since freshman year. He is often elected in to positions because he gets the job done and is someone you can trust. He is great when it comes to looking at issues through multiple lenses, which is really exciting to see such a young person be able to apply these skills. He and I debate frequently about various issues and I love how we can learn and influence one another. He is not only devoted to our community at Quarry Lane, but he cares deeply about the Dublin Community. I have never met a young person so invested in their city. Kunal loves the city Dublin and loves being a member of the Dublin Youth Advisory Committee where he has had the opportunity to support and encourage the youth of Dublin and is eager to step it up and notch with this opportunity. Kunal is incredibly passionate about the environment, which is why I think he would really learn and thrive in this opportunity. He is very aware of all of the resources available to the residents of Dublin and I am excited that he may be able to put all of his incredible skills to good use. This could be an incredible opportunity for Kunal. I think he is a wonderful fit and I recommend him enthusiastically without any reservations. With Gratitude, Shannon Harrison MA Counselor Instructor 779