On February 12, four Teen Leaders from the Community Improvement Through Youth (CITY) Project, accompanied by Vicki Giarratano, CITY Project Coordinator, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County and Beth A. Saxton, Executive Director of the Broome County Youth Bureau, visited Albany to learn about state government and meet their legislators.
The CITY Teen Leaders representing Broome County were Jahway Dewolf, Amanda Blakeslee, Jenece Reyes, and Nyesha Barnes. The group attended the New York State Association of Youth Bureaus Leadership Conference and met with New York State Senator (District 52) Tom Libous and State Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo (126th Assembly District). The trip was made possible by the Broome County Youth Bureau.
According to Giarratano, "Our CITY Project Teen Leaders spoke about their program and gave a voice to our community and the great project that they are a part of. The Broome
County Youth Bureau funds the CITY Project’s summer employment experience and has been very supportive of our project’s overall holistic goals.”
The group was personally invited by Assemblywoman Lupardo to attend a legislative session focused on youth funding and workforce readiness. As part of the New York State Association of Youth Bureaus Leadership Conference, the CITY Teen Leaders participated in team building workshops with over 200 other youth from around the state. According to Giarratano, the CITY Project’s partner agencies, Binghamton Housing Authority and Broome County Urban League, donated supplies that were used during the Leadership Conference in conjunction with a project to send disaster victims school supplies.
During the second day of their visit, the CITY Teen Leaders met with Assemblyman Clifford W. Crouch (107th Assembly District) and made a presentation in support of increased funding for youth programming. Assemblyman Crouch’s State Assembly Committees include Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry, Labor, Government Operations, and he is the Ranking Minority Member on the Agriculture Committee. Assemblyman Crouch is a 1965 graduate of Cornell University, with an AAS Degree in Dairy Science.
The CITY Project is a Sustainable Community Project of the Children, Youth and Families At-Risk (CYFAR) Program, It is supported by Smith Lever funds from the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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