Introducing local youth to county government, policy
Preparing the next generation of leaders in county government was the primary reason why I created the Monterey County Young Supervisors Program in 2017. I wanted a method to utilize my elected office to provide the young people of Salinas and the surrounding areas with an opportunity to develop skills in leadership, problem solving, critical thinking, and networking, and to better understand the important role that county governments play in providing essential services to its residents and businesses.
Although my Young Supervisors Program was the first of its kind at a county supervisor level in California, I had previously administered a similar program during my years in the California State Assembly starting in 2011, then called the Young Assemblymembers Program.
I wanted to take advantage of the summer when local high school students are looking for opportunities to build their resume, gain experience, fulfill their high school community service hours, and make the most of their time out of school. So, I instituted a unique four-week long program open to high school and first and second-year college students.
Participants go on an initial two-day leadership development training to sharpen and learn leadership skills, and they also hear from a variety of speakers on topics, such as the role of the media, small businesses, nonprofits, law enforcement and opportunities working for county government.
The students also visit Colton Hall in Monterey where the California Constitutional Convention was held in 1849, and where California petitioned to become the 31st state of the union. A highlight of the program is taking the students to the Monterey Bay Aquarium to learn about the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary, sustainable fishing and ocean protection, and then on a whale watching tour. Despite growing up in a coastal county, most of the young participants have never been out into the Monterey Bay waters.
The main project of the program is having the participants research a hot policy topic and then conduct a mock legislative hearing in the Supervisors' Chamber debating both sides of the issue. These topics have often been controversial ones that the Board of Supervisors later votes on, such as a farmworker housing project, a homeless navigation center or plastic pollution in our oceans. They conduct the hearing in front of their parents and family members as part of a final graduation ceremony.
By completing the program, my office aims to also empower the students, many of whom come from low-income households, by strengthening their resume and providing letters of recommendation as they prepare to apply for college or scholarships, often competing with tens of thousands of other students across the state. This unique program helps them stand out among the rest, and we also provide tailored letters for whatever program they request. We also provide job references for future employment opportunities and we stay in touch with them as they transfer to community colleges, universities, or graduate and professional schools.
Above all else, I hope to spark an interest in these young adults about becoming civically engaged and take part in the democratic process and decision making in their own communities. If we are not preparing the next generation of leaders in our counties, then we are missing a big part of solving the greatest challenges of tomorrow.
Over the years, more than
250 students have participated in my program. Some have graduated from Stanford, Harvard, UC Berkeley, UCLA, West Point and many other prestigious universities. Today, most of the graduates are young professionals, some working in state government, local government, law firms or have returned to our county to serve their communities in other important ways.
Overall, this program receives positive reviews from the community, especially from the parents and families who appreciate their child being closely connected with a county supervisor. I've been proud to have younger siblings of graduates later join my program as well.
Among the accomplishments that I've achieved in my 16 years in politics, some of my most cherished are those helping uplift and inspire our young people, and using my office to help open more opportunities for them. Hopefully, some of them will also run for office one day and be our next generation of leaders for California.
If any young people want to apply for my 2024 Young Supervisors Program, please contact my office at (831) 755-5011 or email District1@co.monterey. ca.us by June 20.