OROVILLE — Civic leaders are rallying to link local youth with services, opportunities and financial support to participate in activities.
City Councilor Shawn Webber, Oroville Police Chief Bill LaGrone and Oroville City Elementary School District Superintendent Spencer Holtom with support from members of the Oroville Community Development Coalition are planning to host a Community Youth Education Workshop from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. May 29 at the Oroville Convention Center where they will also announce details about a Community Activity Scholarship Fund.
“The primary focus will be on youth, especially those in middle school and high school,” said LaGrone. “They don’t feel like they’re being heard and listened to so this will be a forum in which they can participate and be heard.”
The plan is to bring fifth through 12th graders and their parents together with agencies and businesses that work with youth to have “all the kids together in one room at one time with people from different spheres of influence that have something to offer them,” said Webber.
“We, the Community Development Coalition, want to build a youth initiative,” said Webber. “Instead of reinventing the wheel we want to come alongside the agencies, organizations and businesses that work with kids and support them and the kids by connecting them with each other.”
Webber said he hopes that youth services including the YMCA, Feather River Recreation and Park District, The Axiom and The Live Spot as well as other youth service groups, youth sports and youth activity organizations will participate in the workshop by having informational booths and making presentations.
“Whenever the school district has the opportunity to work with city officials, businesses and community organizations, we are always open and want to have that opportunity,” said Holtom. “We’re a whole community here in Oroville and our goal is tie our resources together, to work in collaboration to benefit our students and families. The event is about working together and sharing valuable information. We really hope families come out and enjoy this fun event.”
A complimentary dinner will be served to participates at the workshop and there will be plenty of free swag for the kids.
In addition to the information sharing, networking and dinner, event organizers will also announce details about the Community Activity Scholarship Fund. The fund, which will be overseen by a board of community members and administered through an existing 501(c)(3), is being established to financially assist youth under the age of 18 in participating in activities they wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford.
Webber and LaGrone said they were talking about how they both frequently hear the “same complaint, that there’s nothing for kids to do in Oroville,” but when they began to think of all the things there are for youth to do, they came to the same conclusion.
“There’s all sorts of things for kids to do,” said LaGrone. “The issue is the cost of those activities. There’s a lot of people, especially young families, who can’t afford to have their kids in activities.”
Webber said, “We want to help with that by establishing this scholarship fund so that if a young person wants to participate in something the fund could assist them financially with that.”
The fund already has $5,000 pledged from various sponsors and Webber and LaGrone are aiming to bring the starting funds up by another $15,000 and continue to add to the balance as funds are distributed.
“There’s 20,000 people in the city. If each person threw in $5, that would be $100,000,” said LaGrone. “Now we know everyone can’t do that but the point is, if those who can pitch in what they can then it’s a lighter load for everyone with a big benefit.”
Webber said there will be “100% transparency” regarding the disbursement of the funds. Families requesting a scholarship will be asked to complete a simple application and the youth benefitting from a scholarship will be required to “have some skin in the game.”
“There will be an expectation for the child to participate, give back and improve,” said Webber. “It won’t just be a hand out but really more of a hand up.”
Among the things youth applicants may be asked to do is write a letter to go with their application explaining why they want to participate in the activity. If their school attendance is poor, for example, they may be asked to demonstrate an improvement before receiving a scholarship. And all recipients will be asked to participate as volunteers in community events a couple of times a year so they “feel good about getting the scholarship and learn to be contributing members of the community,” said LaGrone.
“Our message to them will be, ‘if we invest in you, then there’s an expectation that you’ll have some sort of responsibility to give back to your community,” said Webber.
The workshop and scholarship are still in the organization phase and community participation, input and donations for both are being sought by the organizers. Those interested may call Webber directly at 530-712-6110.
“I really hope people will reach out and talk to me,” said Webber. “I’d love to see everybody in town get on board with this to support our youth.”
