Perhaps you’ve seen our social media posts (can we take a second to appreciate those graphics??) or heard about us through the grapevine. The Youth Leadership Commission is becoming more and more prominent, with its mission clear: to empower and engage youth in local government. What is less apparent is how the Commission came to be in the first place, so we’re going to share our “Big Bang Theory” based on input from two sources:
Donald Scully, who helped interview the first cohort of Commissioners, and Rich Carlston, 2017 Walnut Creek Mayor!
Donald Scully
Tell me a little about yourself and your time being a part of local government.
My name is Donald Scully and I’ve been working for the City of Walnut Creek’s Recreation Department since I was 15 years old! I grew up in Walnut Creek and went to Walnut Acres, Foothill Middle, and then Northgate High School. In my early teen years I was heavily involved with sports and music in the area and was part of the Youth Council program back in 2000.
Can you talk a little about your experience being on the first Youth Council? What made you want to join, and what was monumental about the experience?
The Youth Council decided to create an offshoot program called “Real WC” for the local Teens in the area to get creative, explore Walnut Creek, and show the many things teens could do around Walnut Creek. At the time there was a Nickel Arcade, weekly park meetups, and Monthly Concert Series. I wanted to be involved in how we presented this to teens as places to go and things to do. We had real conversations, engagements, and activities, all taking place in our own backyard. Joining this group really instilled self confidence I never knew that I had, and it was great to be a part of a group of teens who actually made it a mission to end “boredom” for Walnut Creek Teens and established a “cross-community” message between the high schools beyond just sports. As for opening doors for the future, this program got my foot in the door for my first job, and that was with the Recreation Department working at Tice Valley Gymnasium with the sports programs. Now, I do the facility coordination for the City for events, meetings, weddings, fundraisers, etc. out of the three community centers and the Walnut Creek downtown library.
What was it like interviewing the very first Youth Commission members back in 2017? What did you want to see in these young adults?
The first thing I looked for were candidates that “Wanted to Be Here.” Resume and college application building I know is very important, so if there was a candidate who was looking to do those things, AND we felt like they really wanted to have an impact for Walnut Creek, they were the best candidates. I wanted to see personality, excitement, wits, energy, and especially creativity. We wanted people who can work in a team environment.
Any words of wisdom to give to current or future Commissioners?
I would have to say… Be yourself. Let your personality shine. Working in a team environment doesn’t mean much if you’re not approachable. So keep the smiles on your faces and show that you want to be here to create a positive atmosphere for all the teens and residents in Walnut Creek.
Rich Carlston
Tell me a little about yourself and your time being a part of local government.
I served four years in the United States Army after graduating from college. After the Army, I went to law school and became an attorney. Throughout my career, it was important to me to provide service to my professional community, my church and to Walnut Creek. In the community, I was a member of the boards of directors of various non-profit organizations for years, including the Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce. I served on the Park, Recreation and Open Space Commission for four years. After retirement, I ran unopposed for a seat on the City Council and was appointed in December 2014. I served four years on the Council, being Mayor in 2017.
Can you talk more about your role in the formation of the YLC? What galvanized you?
I have always seen a need to provide opportunities for our youth. When I became Mayor, Communications and Outreach Manager Gayle Vassar and I were talking about how to provide opportunities for the youth. The topic turned to a prior Youth Council that had been provided through the City, but had been cancelled a number of years earlier. As we discussed that prior program and some of its shortcomings, we began to envision a new youth commission focused more on leadership, education, and service.
I then discussed the process of creating a new Youth Commission with Fran, our Interim City Manager. I wanted such a program to provide (I) leadership opportunities, (ii) the Commissioners the opportunity to receive mentoring from the leadership team of the City, (iii) a basic understanding of City government and the roles of the City, (iv) the Commissioners the opportunity to evaluate issue(s) for the City Council and present that evaluation to the Council so that they would have the Commission’s ideas in managing City affairs.
Both Fran and Gayle were very supportive of the idea and goals for such a commission. Fran asked Carla to research what was being done in other cities, and she did an excellent job. Thereafter, we ironed out the specifics and Carla put a structure to our Commission. It was decided that Carla would be the primary staff organizing and assisting the Commission. The Commission was approved by the City Council and was organized. If memory serves, we had a much greater number of applications than Commissioner positions right from the start.
I have always felt that the Youth Commission has been a great success both to the students, but also to the City Council which receives the benefit of its guidance and recommendations.
Do you have any words of wisdom to give to current or future Commissioners?
Wisdom has no age limits; we benefit from all input.
A Trip Down Memory Lane: 2017 YLC with then-Mayor Carlston!
A huge thank you to our “interviewees” for this opportunity and their inspiring advice. If you’re interested in getting to know more about the Commission, stay tuned for more blogs...we have a lot of exciting topics planned. Leave a comment to let us know what you think!
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