Youths take local government into their own hands

In April 1999, a Chatham County, Ga., teenager sidled into a convenience store and attempted to buy cigarettes. Across the county, many of his peers did the same thing; and, while none of them made a purchase, all of them walked away with valuable information.

Working “undercover” as part of the Chatham County Youth Commission, the high school students were participating in a study on youth tobacco use. The study was conducted by Partners for Community Health, a division of the Chatham County Health Department.

In a single day, Youth Commission members went into more than 80 local establishments – stores, restaurants, bowling alleys, etc. – that sell cigarettes. They attempted to purchase cigarettes, either from a clerk or from a cigarette machine. If the clerk agreed to sell the cigarettes or ignored the student at the machine, the student claimed a lack of funds and left.

Statistics on the number of establishments willing to let minors purchase cigarettes were compiled and reported by the Youth Commission at a press conference and at a county commission meeting. The Youth Commission withheld the names of violators in order to encourage voluntary compliance with the law.

The Youth Commission was formed in 1992 by Priscilla Thomas, a former elementary school principal and current commissioner for Chatham County. She wanted to create an organization that would allow youth “not only to learn, but to be an active participant in government,” she says.

High school sophomores and juniors can join the commission; students may remain members until they graduate high school, according to senior advisor Van Johnson, also Chatham County employee services/training manager. He says that parents are invited to join a Parental Advisory Council that meets at least once a year to learn about the commission and to offer input.

Forty-three high school students now serve on the commission. They include two representatives from each local public and private school, one representative from each local housing project and one representative from key community youth groups, such as the Indian Association Youth Group, the Jewish Educational Alliance and the Savannah Runaway Home.

The Youth Commission meets twice a month, and each student attends one county commission meeting each year. Youth Commission members also learn about their community through speakers, projects and field trips.

In 1999, the Commission’s activities included visiting the Greenbriar Children’s Center, an emergency shelter and orphanage; serving as panelists for a “Critical Issues Affecting Youth” session of Leadership Savannah, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce; traveling to Washington, D.C., as guests of Georgia Senator Max Cleland, Georgia Representative Jack Kingston and the National Association of Counties; and sponsoring a county-wide youth rally. In addition, Youth Commissioners sponsored a Back to School Jam concert attended by 5,000 local youths.

The Chatham County Youth Commission’s activities have inspired Fulton County, Ga., to start a similar organization. Representatives from Fulton County visited Chatham County to learn about the program; they plan to inaugurate their own group early in 2000, according to Johnson.