Youth role intensifies in Sullivan Renaissance

By RICHARD A. ROSS

BETHEL, NY – The bleakness of the landscape in winter is thankfully temporary, and within just a few weeks, communities all across Sullivan County will begin working on their Sullivan Renaissance projects to enhance the allure and attractiveness of their communities, and in many cases, add something permanent to their environs.

On February 3, Sullivan Renaissance will kick off this year’s exciting season with an all-day conference at Bethel Woods. The morning’s agenda includes a sold-out keynote lecture by Seattle’s Paul Loeb; but the afternoon, which is packed with interesting workshops, still has openings.

One of those workshops is entitled, “Youth Activism; How to Make a Difference in Your Community.” The agenda of the conference will include such vital topics as getting started, sharing a common interest, dedication, identifying individual skills (speaking, organizing, technical skills, etc.), working as a community, fund raising and perseverance. As Sullivan Renaissance’s Developmental Officer Denise Frangipane puts it, “The message is about being part of something larger than you. You can leave a legacy behind while stepping up to develop skills for future community involvement and citizenry. You can make a difference.”

Facilitators at the Youth Activism workshop will include a number of Liberty’s TeamSkate members including Ryan Burns, Gregory Castro, Taylor Jardine, Reggie Ocasio and Brittany Panagakos. TeamSkate’s energy in proposing a skate park for Liberty, and its follow-through in taking the steps to see that project come to fruition, represents an ideal model of youth involvement.

This year, Sullivan Renaissance, which has always required grant applicants to note how their individual projects will involve youth in a meaningful way, is striving to involve young people more in the decision making process, while continuing to deploy young people as paid interns. Sullivan Renaissance employs young people who are age 16 and up from May to September 3. Applicants are interviewed and those chosen must undergo training to receive the stipend for up to 100 hours of work at $10 dollars per hour.

While it is true that many of our young people aspire to leave the area, the idea of becoming involved in something enduring that they can leave behind as part of their legacy is beginning to attract more area youth.

Chelsea Schadt, a junior at Sullivan West has been selected to serve on this year’s steering committee for Sullivan Renaissance. She in turn, has enlisted the help of ten Sullivan West students who will serve as ambassadors at the conference. Last year the youth liaison was from Liberty High School. The year prior that distinction belonged to Monticello High School.

Later in the day grant applications for this year’s projects will be made available.

The best of these projects will earn prizes and kudos, but all participants will benefit from the experience of working to build something positive and enduring.

For more information visit sullivanrenaissance.org or call 845/295-2445.