Mayor’s Youth Council speaks the minds of Norwalk High kids

Updated, 3:30 p.m., video added.

NORWALK, Conn. — Three Norwalk teenagers made their presence known to the Board of Education this week, passing on the sentiments of their peers on an issue they said was very important.

Norwalk High School students Jamal Alexandre, Emily Thompson and Amina Chowdhury, members of the Mayor’s Advisory Youth Council, spoke about the recent proposal to charge students for participating in sports, although Norwalk interim Superintendent of Schools James Connelly had already announced that wouldn’t happen next year.

The Council was formed in February with 17 members, representing each high school grade, almost all selected by their high school principals. Mayor Harry Rilling said they represent the leaders of tomorrow; the students said they might attend government meetings.

Emily said Tuesday that her classmates were upset by the “pay to play” option. She read a letter from a classmate:

“This angered me for two reasons. Some people simply can’t afford to pay $100, especially if they also have to buy equipment for that sport as well. Secondly, sports helps people. It gives people the motivation to maintain the required GPA in order to be able to participate in the sport, or the unexplainable bond between teammates that drive a person to do good things.”

Female teenagers who are involved in sports are 92 percent less likely to get involved in drugs, Emily said, citing the Women’s Sports Foundation as the source of her information. They’re 80 percent less likely to get pregnant and three times more likely to graduate, she said.

Common Councilwoman Eloisa Melendez (D-District A) and Building Futures Through Mentoring (BFTM) Mentoring Coordinator Darlene Young, who have been advising the Youth Council, stood behind the trio.

“The group was a little bigger, but you do have attrition and you have people who are involved in sports and other things. These young people have been committed to coming on a regular basis,” Young said.

It’s just getting started, she said. “I commend the mayor on having the vision for putting this together because I think it’s long overdue,” Young said.

“The Mayor’s Youth Council roster currently includes 13 students representing all three high schools,” Young explained in an email. “While attendance fluctuates due to extra-curricular activities, such as sports, there is a core group of about 7 members. … Other MYC members not at the meeting are Nora Villalobos (NHS), Daija Brunson (BMHS), Roman Fillyaw (BMHS) and Sebastian Correa (Briggs Academy).”