Youth Council Kick Off Project at Kinser Park
September 2011
Mission Statement:
"Service Comes From The Heart"
The mission statement of the Greene County Youth Council is to nurture high school students in an interactive environment providing skills they can take back to their schools and implement in the daily activities, helping them to become effective leaders in their community.
The Greene County Youth Council is a program of the Greene County Partnership and is funded by a $50 membership fee and sponsorships. The Youth Council is a community service-oriented group consisting of high school students from all five high schools, grades 9-12, who are dedicated to the all-around improvement of Greeneville and Greene County. The program runs from September through May. Sponsors for the Greene County Youth Council are also sponsors of the Greene County Youth Leadership Program and include Wal-Mart Transportation, The Niswonger Foundation, Takoma Regional Hospital, Laughlin Memorial Hospital, DTR Tennessee, Inc., Greeneville Federal Bank, Life Care Center of Greeneville, Buel and Mildred Brooks Foundation, and Greeneville Light & Power System.
Criteria for certification to the program requires each student to perform 50 hours of community service/volunteer activities, participate in group service projects, and attend Youth Council meetings. Members are required to perform their volunteer work individually and are given opportunities to participate in several group activities planned throughout the school year. The Greene County Youth Council is the Volunteer Spirit Award winner in the high school group category all five years the award has been presented. During 2003-04, students gave back to the community more than $31,000 in volunteer hours; in 2004-05, students gave back over $37,000 in volunteer hours; in 2005-06, students gave back over $42,000 in volunteer hours. In 2006-07, students volunteered more than 3,000 hours, with a savings to the community of over $58,000. With a record 76 students in the program for the 2007-08 school year, a total of more than $60,000 was returned to the community with over 3,500 hours being donated in volunteer service. All records were shattered with an incredible 103 members in the program in 2008-09, over 5,300 hours of service was given back with a return of over $74,000 back to the people of Greeneville and Greene County. In 2009 - 115 students came out to be a part of the program volunteering well over 5,800 hours, with a return of over $80,000, and in 2010 - 103 students donated over 5,500 hours, with a return of over $77,000.
Past projects in which the Greene County Youth Council has participated include: Freewill Baptist Family Ministries, Embarq Coat Drive, Habitat for Humanity landscaping project, Greeneville Christmas Parade, the Boys & Girls Club Halloween & Christmas parties, Gifts for Kids, Feral Friends of Greene County, the Human Society, bell ringing for the Salvation Army/Christian Ministries at Christmas, donations to the Food Bank and Coal Fund, Keep Greene Beautiful's Adopt-A-Spot, the Parenting Fair, the Antique & Appraisal Fair, Iris Festival and Chillin' & Grillin' Festival, as well as other civic and partnership events.
Youth Council helped Keep Greene Beautiful pass out litter bags for the
Greeneville Christmas Parade
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Youth Council helped with Boys & Girls Club Thanksgiving Meal - 2011 |
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Members of the Greene County Youth Council will hold a meeting one Saturday morning every couple of months. Meetings are generally from 10-12:00 p.m. and include lunch. A program is planned for each meeting and a service project is scheduled to immediately follow the meeting. Monthly meetings focus on particular topics regarding today's teenagers. Past Youth Council meetings/speakers have included Habitat for Humanity, the Humane Society, Gifts for Kids, Third Judicial Drug Task Force & Greeneville K-9 Officer and partner, General Sessions Court Judge, State Representatives David Hawk and Eddie Yokley, sessions on drinking and driving, safe driving, road rage, drug/alcohol abuse, peer pressure, finance/credit, interviewing techniques/resume preparation and other topics of interest.
For more information regarding the Youth Leadership or Youth Council programs, please contact Jennifer Reynolds.
2011-12 Greene County Youth Council participants' include:
Elizabeth Miller (WG); Jaheen Hira (GHS); Summer Robinson (WG); Sierra McIntosh (WG); Annie Arrington (GHS); Jordan Hite (GHS); Brandon Chapman (GHS); Kristen Pope (WG); Haley Earl (GHS); Rachel Mawyer (GHS); Lauren Yakubic (GHS); Austin McKee (GHS); Megan Westmorland (WG); Kristen Wilhoit (WG); Molly Kate Brannock (GHS); Corinne Guelli (NG); Ethan Dotson (NG); Derrick Livingston (WG); Joshua Nunn (GHS); Macy Parham (WG); Taylor Smithpeters (SG); Shantelle Stokely (GHS); Whitney Lester (CD); Abbie Pierce (SG); Kaitlyn Bailey (GHS); Mitch Harmon (CD); BriAnna Allen (GHS); Kelsi Banks (CDHS); Rachel Banks (GHS); Eric Bowers (SGHS); Michalea Broyles; Yilun Chen (GHS); Chandler Christopher (GHS); Brittany Cobble (GHS); Matthew Gass (WGHS); Olivia Hall (GHS); Rebecca Harmon (CDHS); Blake Kinser (GHS); Parker Mitchell (GHS); Abigail Rea (GHS); Emily Russ (CDHS); Hayden Scott (SGHS); Hunter Shelton (GHS); Madison Shipley (GHS); Tyler Showman (SGHS); Kaitlyn Sutherlen (GHS); Lincoln Taylor (GHS); Derrik Thornton (GHS); Lukas Tong (SGHS); Haley White (GHS); Leigh Ann Blalock (GHS); McKenzie Campbell (GHS); Savannah Campbell (GHS); Drew Fezell (GHS); Shae Littleton (WGHS); Marinda Parham (WGHS); Candice Rai (GHS); Clarissa Smith (WGHS); Jake Thwing (GHS); Leah Thwing (GHS) Baylie Foulks (GHS); Natalie Foulks (GHS); Seth Smith (WGHS); and Paula Beets (WGHS).