The Youth Citizen Board (YCB) was created in 1978 by the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors to advise on youth-related issues. On the second Monday of each month during the school year, high school students from all over Chesterfield County come together to learn more about Chesterfield County government and do a yearlong deep dive into how different departments serve the community. This year, Chesterfield County Public Library was the focus of their work.
CCPL's collections, programs, services and communications are all driven by the various needs and interests of the county's many residents. The students have learned more about the county's diverse demographics and have realized it's quite a challenge to meet the needs of all residents, especially with the diversity present in Chesterfield.
Part of the students' focus was identifying an underrepresented portion of the community and recommending ways to better meet that community's needs. They passionately suggested ways to meet the sensory needs of community members who are neurodivergent or whose brains have natural variations that impact how they experience, understand and interact with the world. The students suggested sensory kits be available for use at all library locations.
The kits include a set of noise-canceling earmuffs, stress balls, pop-it sheets, a weighted lap pad and other items to help kids engage their senses in ways that work for them. Jordyn Krawjewski, a senior at Maggie Walker High School who is attending Davidson College next year, shared her personal experience about public places not meeting sensory needs, "My brother has Down syndrome, so I've grown up with kids who had special sensory needs, and I've seen them not being met in many public places. So, it was important to me to bring that up as an issue to the board this year. We solved the problem, at least in part."
Ansa Kanway, a junior from Maggie Walker, shared how important this project is for her, "As someone who has sensory issues, I think it is important to have this accessibility for the people. This might seem like a small project, but it will mean a lot for the people who might use them."
After working on this project with students from different backgrounds, the students had different takeaways from the project and the program. Krajewski said, "Everyone on this board really has a passion for helping the county, and they really care about their people and their community. It's a great environment to be in."
Chesterfield County's Youth Citizen Board demonstrated the power of young voices coming together to address important community issues. Through their passion, these high school students completed a meaningful project. Half of these students have just graduated and intend to keep transforming the world one step at a time.
If you or someone you know is interested in being part of the Youth Citizen Board (YCB), you can complete the application here (https://www.chesterfield.gov/boardapplication), and for more information, you can contact Chloe Carter, Community Engagement Coordinator Youth Services (mail to link: [email protected]).
Written By: Adriana Rosales, Creative Content Writer, CCPL Community Services Department
