Step Forward, an initiative of Community Foundation of North Louisiana, is excited to announce 25 area students have been selected to serve on the 2021-2022 Teen Advisory Committee. The Northwest Louisiana Teen Advisory Committee (TAC) was formed in 2019 to engage youth in policy decision-making and provide students a voice on programming that impacts teens and young adults in North Louisiana.

In 2020, TAC members surveyed 5,070 area high school students and discussed the results with more than 50 delegates at the NWLA Teen Summit on mental wellness. The survey found 73% of participants had experienced challenges that negatively impacted their physical or emotional well-being. Students most commonly faced these challenges in school (83%), then their homes (68%), and online (13%). TAC members presented these results and proposed solutions to local officials, including the superintendents of Caddo and Bossier parish schools.

In the upcoming year, the Teen Advisory Committee will continue to evaluate the needs of students and focus on building resilience and mental health awareness among teens, including assessing the effects of COVID-19 on Northwest Louisiana students. The group’s goals also include exploring issues that impact the health, education, and engagement of teens and young adults in North Louisiana. This includes topics such as professional development, career planning, teen voter registration, and other community-drive projects. The committee works closely with a group of advisors and coaches made up of local professionals, officials, and community leaders. The 2021 NWLA Teen Summit will be held virtually on May 3, 2021.

TAC is a program of Step Forward, an initiative that aims at improving educational outcomes for students of all ages in Northwest Louisiana. To learn more, visit cfnla.org/stepforward.

 

2021-2022 Teen Advisory Committee:

Paige Actlis, Caddo Magnet High School

Justin Beckham, C.E. Byrd High School

Jaida Clark, Caddo Magnet High School

Brianna Cooley, Parkway High School

Katherine Ferrier, Captain Shreve High School

Madison Goree, Captain Shreve High School

Jadelyn Holmes, C.E. Byrd High School

Shala Hopkins, Caddo Magnet High School

Aniyah Jackson, Captain Shreve High School

Anya Jackson, Northwood High School

Sara-Alexis Jarecki, Caddo Magnet High School

Arthur Jenkins, Caddo Magnet High School

Raj Letchuman, Caddo Magnet High School

William Li, Caddo Magnet High School

Abigail McCollister, Northwood High School

Macey McEachern, Haughton High School

Alexander Minagar, Caddo Magnet High School

Andrew Minagar, Caddo Magnet High School

Haylea Moreau, Captain Shreve High School

Destiny Osborne, Booker T. Washington High School

Ameria Sanchez, Captain Shreve High School

Autumn Sommers, Caddo Magnet High School

Olivia Stringham, North Caddo Magnet High School

Ayanna Watson, Captain Shreve High School

Ian Williams, Caddo Magnet High School