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