Village Task Force
Focus is on the students to make education a + experience!
The beginning:
It started with a message from the mother of the most recent Cedar Park High School student posting a message on NextDoor. The posting struck a nerve in community members in a number of neighborhoods connected to the Leander ISD (the school district that envelopes Cedar Park High School). Comments on this post went from empathy and sympathy to one of action. One of the first ones to speak up was Emily Carter who said that she wanted to start a task force; I immediately volunteered to help her with my advocacy and organization skills. Together, we put together the first Teen Talk that was named "Teens: It's Your Teen" for the students to come out and talk within just 2 days. At the first meeting, we had many students, parents, teachers, counselors, and community members curious as to what that was going to entail. KVUE and KXAN stations were also there covering the event.
Teen Talk Park Social -- After School 5/12th (Milburn Park)
CPMS Choir Presenation -- 7pm 5/12th (Little Theatre)
May Teen Talks
May 5th, we're focused on some pre-planning for a May 12th event, as well as some continued conversations with positive social media.
We are finding that our students are indeed resilient, but we want to be there for each and every one of them, while taking steps to ensure that their safety is assured, that their voices for changes (academic, sports, etc.) are being heard, etc.
David's Law Passed - May 4, 2017
This shows how we can possibly change laws in the State of Texas and help our students, as well as help our State get further and further from being the 9th highest State with teen suicides.
We can always do more to help protect our children. What that looks like, we will discover at our advocacy training day in June.
Continual Updates
Be the difference and continue #sharingyourvoices and #creatingawareness to come together as a village and create a positive environment for our students.
Be sure to follow the contact information and let me know of any events to be shared.
Call to Action: Creating an 800#
Call to Action: Creating Legislative Advocacy DATES TBD
NEW UPDATE -- We have a venue! Just confirming date and time.
Through the teen talks, we have been learning more of the issues that the students are experiencing. It is the responsibility of the parents to take this information to action and be the voice of our children and all students in LISD. Even if we don't turn this into a Bill in the Texas Legislature, the process is the same for all levels of advocacy. Learning some ways that you can share your voice is empowering and powerful.
Some students have also expressed interest in taking this workshop as well. I welcome any/all students to join in the training when it comes to fruition in June 2017. You, students, are the reason we are coming together to help make a difference for you and your education, as well as help you to enjoy your education and not be stressed by the future that lays ahead for everyone each day.
We were originally planning to have this in May, but we are going to delay it until June so that we can include Texas Impact in the training process as well.
Through Representative Donna Howard's office, we know that we can't submit a new bill that might help protect our students until Winter/Spring of 2019, which means that we can refine what that will look like by that time with regular Legislative/Advocacy trainings from now onward.
Contact Kat Davis at 512-662-5453 or bluebonnetfields@gmail.com to express your interest and be included on a separate email notification system.
Facts:
* Texas is the 9th highest in the Nation with teen suicides. (a stat that I would love to see Texas fail at)
* Cedar Park High School has had 4 teen suicide deaths in 2016-2017 school year. Leander ISD has had 1-4 additional teen suicide deaths, depending on the stats you hear from others. Even ONE teen suicide death has been way too many.
* Leander ISD has been plagued for decades with teen suicide deaths. When is enough going to be enough? When will be doing something about it to bring about change?
Saturday, Jun 3, 2017, 09:00 AM
Peace Lutheran Church, Ranch Road 620, Austin, TX, United States
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
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Contact Information for Questions
KXAN (video of news broadcast)
SPECTRUM (video of news broadcast)
Email: bluebonnetfields@gmail.com
Location: 9715 North FM 620, Austin, TX, United States
Phone: (512) 662-5453
Facebook: http://facebook.com/villagetaskforce
Twitter: @bluebonnetfield