Mount Pleasant Youth Council

TOWN OF MOUNT PLEASANT, SOUTH CAROLINA MOUNT PLEASANT YOUTH COUNCIL Thursday, February 3, 2022 5:00 PM Mount Pleasant Municipal Complex Council Chambers 100 Ann Edwards Lane, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 MINUTES Ms. Turner called the meeting to order at 5:10 p.m. McClain Stoklosa, Geneva Kowbeidu, Cally DeMoura, Grace Griffin and Caroline Tiller were present at call to order. Adam El Hassan entered at 5:10 p.m. Garrett Griffin, Willa Jones, Chad Weis, McKenna Young and Graci Canon were all absent. 1.Public Comments [There were no public comments.] 2. Approval of the minutes from the January 6, 2022 meeting Ms. Turner moved to approve the minutes, seconded by Ms. DeMoura. All present voted in favor. 3. Discussion and possible action regarding a letter in support of mental health resources. Ms. Sims presented the letter that Ms. Turner had drafted stating it would be sent to Senator Marjorie Bright Matthews, the original sponsor of the bill as well as the Towns legislative delegation. Ms. Sims stated Town Council has agreed to co-sign the letter and asked if any of the Youth Council members had received support from their mental health clubs at school to co-sign the letter. Ms. Tiller stated Academic Magnets mental health awareness club has agreed to support the letter. Ms. Sims asked the members to review the updated letter that Ms. Turner had sent this afternoon.  Ms. Turner asked if more people were needed to co-sign and Ms. Sims stated it would not be detrimental and it shows the conversation was held among the groups and resources here. An organized teen body sending a letter to the legislative delegation is going to garner attention. Ms. Sims said she would use this as a basis of the letter to go to the school board and constituent district board as was discussed previously. She said in the letters to the school boards, she would add “we ask you to join us in supporting our request to the state and any other support that can be given to increase access to resources would be helpful.” Ms. Sims said that Mr. Iacofano, Chair of the Education Committee, is here this evening and on Monday, Kate Darby from the school board was in attendance at the Education Committee. She said that has reopened the door to have conversations with the school board about needs in our schools. Ms. Sims said she would send the final letter out and provide copy for the Youth Council Members. 4. Continued discussion regarding the basketball court project Ms. Sims said she sent an e-mail with additional fundraising ideas. One was the bracket challenge, which would need to be run by the Youth Council and then the proceeds donated to the Town so there is a clear division between the funds raised and the Town. Ms. Sims said that mid-year budget adjustment received first reading at the Council Retreat on January 25th, and the funding for the basketball courts was included. (Mr. El Hassan entered at 5:20 p.m.) Second reading will be on Tuesday, February 8th, and once it passes, a change order would be issued for the existing contract to proceed with the basketball courts. Ms. Sims credited the Youth Council for identifying the need and bringing it forward. Ms. Sims said that does not preclude Youth Council from continuing to fundraise for the basketball courts as then the money that was just allocated for the basketball courts by Council can go toward other unfunded components of Carolina Park. She said if Youth Council wants to continue with the basketball tournament or the basketball bracket, it will take a lot of effort to put these events on, and the commitment needs to be there from the Youth Council Members. Ms. Sims said she would need direction as to whether to continue on with the tournament and bracket, or to shift to another priority project such as a mental health rally. She said recent events such as the death of a celebrity may be something to tag onto since it is being talked about. Mr. El Hassan said he liked the idea of the basketball tournament, and it will be a lot of work, but he said if it was set up the right way most of the work would be the day of the tournament. Ms. Turner asked if the funds would go to funding the basketball court or allocated to a different cause. Mr. El Hassan said that could be decided, but maybe the funds should be donated toward mental health. Ms. Turner suggested the money raised could possibly go to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Town Council Member John Iacofano stated he is the Chair of the Education Committee and asked how he can get the voice of the Youth Council to flow to him to the Education Committee and up to the schools. He asked if Youth Council could send things to the Education Committee. Ms. Sims responded in the affirmative, stating they could take items to Mr. Iacofano as the Chair, and he would have to give approval for it to go on the Committee agenda. Ms. Sims said it was discussed in Committee this past Monday that the residents of Mount Pleasant feel voiceless in their schools and the hope is to use the Education Committee to give them a platform to elevate their voices at the school level. She said it could be that there is a report from the Youth Council about items that students care about. Mr. Iacofano said the Youth Council has been discussing mental health and when he went around to the schools the principals mention mental health, and parents as well. He said when the students start discussing it, it is more impactful. Ms. Sims said perhaps there could be an update from Youth Council or a Youth Council report stating the items that they are working on or need assistance with from Council. Ms. Sims said that Youth Council is interested in moving forward with the basketball tournament. She said there is an option to send the funds toward mental health, and a short list of potential recipients could be put together, or it could go to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Ms. DeMoura stated she liked the idea of the basketball tournament with the funds going to NAMI, and a mental health rally could be held. She said it would be impactful to have an event centered around mental health that helps a mental health charity. She said perhaps at the basketball tournament other things could be incorporated. She said the neonatal intensive care unit is looking for premature baby clothes, so maybe people that want to play in the tournament can bring an article of clothing to participate. Ms. Turner said the celebrity who took her life recently was an athlete, and athletic mental health is huge. She stated that could be tied into the tournament, to spread awareness and possibly have a donation table where parents can donate, and NAMI could set up a table with resources for parents who notice that their students are struggling. Ms. Tiller said she liked the idea about having NAMI come to the basketball tournament to combine those two, but we could also have donation tables for clothing or canned goods. Ms. Kowbeidu said donation baskets could be put out in the schools to collect premature baby clothes, and that could potentially be a new community service project. Mr. El Hassan said his school has an ambassador program where upper classmen go to freshman classes, and maybe presentations could be made on how to deal with things by the Youth Council. Ms. Turner said she worries about trying to incorporate three different causes with the basketball tournament, but she likes the idea about the presentations. She said they could also be sent out through the guidance department. Ms. Sims said that may be an opportunity for NAMI to step in as they offered to come into the schools and do a workshop of some type. Mr. El Hassan stated in his school they have to present every month to the freshman class. Ms. Turner said Wando has 90 minute flex times, with the next one in March, where students can choose where they are going, so possibly a mental health workshop could be held in the auditorium. She said Lucy Beckham has crew time which is similar to flex time. Ms. Sims asked if the tournament was off the table. Mr. El Hassan said he worries about the logistics of a tournament, and promoting it to friends and the schools. Ms. Turner said she just coordinated a free throw competition for the dance marathon at her school, and everyone was engaged and excited to participate in it, so there is a desire for something like that. Ms. Sims asked if it occurred during school hours, and Ms. Turner stated it would be held during the halftime period at the game. She said people would donate to their favorite athlete. She said the person with the most votes is the fan favorite and they receive a shirt, and then the competition is held. Ms. Garrett said if we hold off on the tournament, that might be a good way to open the new basketball courts. Ms. Sims stated the construction completion would be in 2023. Mr. El Hassan said it would be easy to do large events at our schools, but it might be more difficult to do it off school property as people are less likely to go. Ms. Sims asked if they would like to defer the tournament for now and the consensus was yes on the deferral. Ms. Sims asked if she should reach out to NAMI and the consensus was yes with Mr. El Hassan stating it should be engaging to keep  students interested. Ms. Turner asked if it could also include resources for parents who have a student that is struggling. Mr. El Hassan said that is a good idea. Ms. Sims state she would reach out to NAMI and report back. 5. Update regarding community service projects Ms. Sims stated the half marathon is February 26th and said assignments would be given out that day. Ms. Garrett stated the copyright on her toiletries collection organization should be finalized in the next three to five days. She is working on more logo items, and then the information can be sent out to everyone to send to their schools. She said it would most likely be presented before spring break, and then collected after spring break. Once the collections have been made, packing parties would be scheduled, and service hour information can be sent out. Ms. Sims asked the Youth Council Members to obtain approval from their schools to have a collection bin placed on site and said she would provide the bins. Ms. DeMoura said if anyone has any premature baby clothes, to let her know. Ms. Turner said something could be sent to the teachers. 6.General discussion regarding other priority projects (These projects were discussed as part of Item 4) Ms. Turner said going back to the Youth Council report that was discussed, would it be possible to post something on Instagram asking for student concerns. Ms. Sims said that is a fantastic idea and part of the reason for Instagram, to give people who are not sitting on Youth Council a voice. She said Council Member Iacofano has given them a great opportunity with offering the Education Committee to be a conduit between Youth Council and the School Board. Ms. Sims said when  concerns are sent it, it needs to be demonstrated that the concerns have been heard are being addressed. She said there needs to be regular posting on Instagram because that sets the algorithm. Ms. Turner asked it the Youth Council Members could set a goal to each get ten people to follow Youth Council on Instagram as there are not many followers. Mr. El Hassan suggested posting “a day in the life of a Youth Council member” and Ms. Turner stated that was a great idea. Ms. DeMoura asked if someone from Communications could come to the next meeting so everyone would be present for the required training to be able post to social media on behalf of the Youth Council. Ms. Sims stated she would make the arrangements. 7. Adjourn There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 6:05 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Christine Barrett Clerk of Council February 3, 2022