Calling All High School Students for the Teen Roundtable

Bloomington, Ind. - The City of Bloomington Commission on the Status of Children and Youth (CSCY) invites high school-aged students to participate in the 4th Annual Teen Roundtable Saturday, October 23 from 11 a.m to noon at the Monroe County Public Library and Sunday, October 24 from 1-2 p.m via Zoom. Eligible students include those enrolled at any public or private high school in Bloomington or Monroe County or those who are home-schooled. Registration may be made www.bloomington.in.gov/cscy until October 9.

The Teen Roundtable convenes local high school students for conversation about local, national and international issues. The platform provides the opportunity for young people to share their perspectives on these issues and to express their visions for the community in the future. CSCY members facilitate discussions, capture participants’ views, and include them in an annual report that is shared with the Mayor, City Council members, and school administrators. The findings inform programming, planning and support for local youth organizations. The focus of this year’s Teen Roundtable will be the COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity, sustainability, and the environment.   

The 2020 Teen Roundtable engaged the participants in conversations about the impact of the pandemic on their lives and offered a forum in which to express how they were coping. The students shared their difficulties with school work, expressed frustration about limited access to teachers, and identified family, sports teams, and video games as sources of support and escape. The roundtable also prompted participants to consider the activities they looked forward to, which students identified as school dances and clubs and the chance to be with family and friends in person again. The participating students also expressed an interest in learning more about City-sponsored activities that focused on youth and in using their voices as part of a larger conversation about issues that impact youth in Bloomington. 

For additional information contact Safe and Civil City Director Shatoyia Moss at mosss@bloomington.in.gov or by phone at 812-349-3430.