High Schoolers with Disabilities are Selected to Attend the Texas Statewide Youth Leadership Forum

COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS – The Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University is pleased to announce the selection of delegates to its 2009 Texas Statewide Youth Leadership Forum (YLF). Thirty-five rising high school juniors and seniors with disabilities from across Texas will attend this year's YLF, to be held Monday, July 20 through Friday, July 24 on the campus of St. Edward’s University in Austin.

The YLF delegates are selected through a competitive application process. Emphasis is placed on the student's demonstration of leadership potential, participation in extra-curricular activities, school and/or community involvement, and the ability to interact well with other students. Geographic location, ethnicity and disability type are also considered so that the YLF represents a diverse group of students.

The 2009 delegates are (listed alphabetically by hometown):

Kathryn Hansen, Abilene
Mark Nieves, Abilene
Austin Loving, Austin
Luis Gutierrez, Carrollton
Maryam Veerani, Carrollton
Jeffery Schulte, Clyde
Michael Medlock, Clyde
Heather Jackson, College Station
April Teel, College Station
Steven Vanoye, College Station
Erica Porter, Dallas
Anthony Wixom, El Paso
Brandon Le Master, El Paso
Jamie Martinez, El Paso
Andy Ruiz, El Paso
Rosa Garcia, El Paso
Valerie Aguirre, El Paso
Joshua Talamoni, El Paso
Jesus Arenas, El Paso
George Munoz, El Paso
Norma Aguirre, Fabens
Sammy Lopez, Fabens
Tia Rice, Granbury
Pennie Vidal, Hondo
Gabriel Cazares, Houston
Rickie Williams, Longview
Andrea Alexander, Lufkin
Jaleisa Moore, Lufkin
Jacki Redmond, Magnolia
Sasha Meeks, Roscoe
Manuela Solis, Roscoe
Jamie Holt, Snyder
Michael Lee, Snyder
Scott Neilson, Sugar Land
Monika Jett, Weatherford

YLF’s goal is to develop youth into leaders who advocate for persons with disabilities and influence policy development. The week’s activities will include a one-day tour of the Capitol with opportunities to meet state legislators, the governor and to hold mock legislative sessions. Training topics will include leadership skills, self-determination, self-advocacy, disability history, legislative process and issues dealing with college preparation, employment preparation and community involvement. See the full schedule of YLF activities.

At the conclusion of YLF, student delegates develop leadership plans that they then implement in their respective communities throughout Texas. Past delegates have reported such acccomplishments as becoming mentors, organizing food, clothing and blood drives, volunteering at childcare centers and doing a presentation on how to apply to medical school. Read more accomplishments.

YLF, which began in California in 1992, is currently active in 38 states. The primary purpose of YLF is to teach young people with disabilities to become leaders and advocates for the disability community. The Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University is working in partnership with the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities and the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services to promote YLF in Texas.

For more information, contact Cheryl Grenwelge, YLF coordinator, at 979-458-1593 or cgrenwelge@tamu.edu, or visit the Texas YLF web site at http://txylf.tamu.edu.

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